Tifton, GA – On Thursday September 24, 2015, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the Tift County Sheriff’s Office arrested Cynthia Felder, 48, Isis Felder, 23, and Lishastas Felder, 20, for the death of 14 month old Zy-Irah Brown which occurred a year ago, September 26, 2014.   All three were charged with First Degree Cruelty to Children and Felony Murder. 

On September 26, 2014, Brown was under the care and supervision of her paternal grandmother, Cynthia Felder and her aunts, Isis Felder and Lishastas Felder at their residence in Tifton. Brown reportedly showed signs of cold like symptoms and became unresponsive. She was transported by ambulance to Tift Regional Medical Center where she was pronounced dead. On September 29, 2014, Brown was sent to the GBI Medical Examiner’s Office in Macon, Georgia for an autopsy.  The autopsy revealed significant injury to Brown’s head and her death was ruled a homicide. As a result, the Tift County Sheriff’s Office initiated an investigation and requested assistance from the GBI’s Sylvester Regional Office.  After a meeting with the Tift County District Attorney’s Office regarding the results of the investigation, the decision was made to charge and arrest the Felders for Brown’s death.

The arrests took place without incident in Crisp County with the assistance of the Crisp County Sheriff’s Office.  The Felders were later transported and booked into the Tift County Jail. 

Contact Information:

Kim Baker (229)777-2080