ATLANTA— State Representative Keisha Waites (D-Atlanta) is sponsoring House Resolution 1054 that commemorates and honors the lives of missing and murdered children in the city of Atlanta. Representatives “Able” Mable Thomas (D-), Tyrone Brooks (D-Atlanta), Pat Gardner (D-Atlanta), Sheila Jones (D-Atlanta), and Margaret Kaiser (D-Atlanta) have all signed on as co-sponsors of this resolution.
“One of these victims was my cousin, Eric Middlebrooks, so this issue is especially close to my heart,” said Rep. Waites. “The case has deeply impacted my family and continues to haunt many to this day. We will always remember the victims and their families, and they will remain in our thoughts and prayers.”
Rep. Waites is reaching out to the families of victims to get their feedback and support for this commemoration. As part of this project, Rep. Waites will host a luncheon for the families of the victims to honor those lives that were lost. In addition, Rep. Waites seeks to partner with the City of Atlanta and the corporate business community to locate a prominent site to erect a memorial displaying the names of each of the victims, and to plant a tree for each child lost. Many other cities have monuments dedicated to victims of violent acts, but there is no similar site in Atlanta for these victims.
Between the summer of 1979 and the spring of 1981, 28 adolescents between the ages of seven and 16 were reported missing, and later murdered. These occurrences brought attention to the seriousness of child victimization, and sparked a national conversation about providing for the safety of children as well as improving mental health services.
“It is our duty as state legislators to do everything in our power to protect the children in Georgia,” added Rep. Waites. “This legislation will remind us of the lives lost in the Atlanta child murders and we will work to ensure that our children stay safe. We cannot bring those children back, but we can certainly send a clear message that we as a city and state share in grieving their loss.”
Representative Keisha Waites represents the citizens of District 60, which includes portions of Clayton and Fulton counties. She was elected into the House of Representatives in 2012, and currently serves on the Interstate Cooperation, Juvenile Justice, Public Safety and Homeland Security, Special Rules, and Transportation committees.
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