Five years after her 5-week-old Malay Yvette Chandler died, her mother Quanitta Yvette Turner has been convicted of murdering the newborn.

Immediately after the baby's death, Turner told investigators with the Newton County Sheriff's Office that she had accidentally rolled over on the baby while sleeping, but when the child started to cry, she woke up.

She told them the child was fine when she went back to sleep, mid-November of 2007. The child was unconscious when emergency personnel first arrived at the home, but died en route to the hospital.

The medical examiner could not determine the cause of the infant's death. But in 2010, investigators decided to take a second look at the death. They went and interviewed Turner at her home in Decatur and during that time, she reportedly told investigators that she had been suffering from postpartum depression and admitted to killing her daughter.

"She said the baby was crying and crying and wouldn't stop," said NCSO Lt. Tyrone Oliver. "She said that she got mad and things got carried away."

A jury convicted Turner around 6 p.m. Wednesday of felony murder, aggravated assault and first degree cruelty to children. She was acquitted of the malice murder charge.
Chief Superior Court Judge John Ott ordered a pre-sentence investigation in the case. Turner is expected to be sentenced in the next few weeks, according to Assistant District Attorney Melanie Bell.

"It was a tough and emotional case for everyone," said Bell. "Lt. Tyrone Oliver and Investigator Sharron Stewart did a great job of working with our Coroner Tommy Davis and the medical examiner Dr. Eisenstat to reach the truth about what happened to Malay. We wanted to give Malay a voice in the courtroom, and we were glad to see justice done in this case."