A northwest Georgia man entered a guilty plea to the charges of Malice Murder, Aggravated Assault, Aggravated Battery and Cruelty to Children on Monday morning, leading to a judge sentencing him to Life without the Possibility of Parole.

23 year old Rome resident David Zachery Gresham, was charged with murdering three year old Ella Camp in 2013; she was the child of his then-girlfriend Kayla Medckie.

Gresham took the child, who was unresponsive and suffering massive head trauma to Floyd Medical Center September 17th 2013; she had reportedly been in his care for several hours that day.  The child died two days later.

Gresham was arrested and charged in connection with the death – meanwhile, Medckie was charged with Cruelty to Children 2nd Degree for being criminally negligent, due to leaving a child in Gresham’s care, even after she had reportedly confronted him in the past for having abused the three year old.

According to District Attorney Leigh Patterson a witness that lived near the couple told City Detectives that she knew of a gas station where the couple had stopped on the day the child was injured.  Investigators reviewed security footage, which showed Gresham punching the three year old so hard that the seat was shaking; meanwhile, the mother, Kayla Medckie got out of the car and went inside while the beating continued.

During the sentencing Judge Walter Matthews told Gresham (quote) “…you’ll never breathe freedom again,” (end-quote).

Gresham, already being held in the Floyd County Jail – will be transferred to a prison facility in the near future.

(Coosa Valley News / www.coosavalleynews.com / WRGA / www.wrgarome.com)