FOREST PARK, Ga. — Forest Park Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of Christian Haynie, who was just 5 months old when he became unresponsive inside a home along Jefferson Avenue.
His mom, Antona Haynie, said on Sept. 21, 2023, it was a typical morning. She said she woke up, fed Christian, and he went back to sleep.
"While I was getting ready for work, he was still asleep. I kissed him. You know, he had kind of, like, woke up. But I then left for work," Haynie explained.
She said Christian was fine. He had not been feeling great the night before, and she recalled getting up in the middle of the night to give him some medicine.
Haynie said she hadn't been at work for more than an hour or so when she received a call that forever changed her life.
"I got the phone call from my boyfriend at the time, telling me that Christian wasn't responding," she said.
Haynie explained her boyfriend was at home watching her son while she was at work.
"By the time I got home, the ambulance was already there," she said.
Christian was rushed to a local hospital, where Haynie said doctors did everything they could to save him. However, he didn't survive.
She said none of it made sense and then when detectives sat her down, she couldn't believe what she was hearing.
"I heard skull fractures," Haynie explained.
11Alive reached out to the medical examiner's office to find out a cause and manner of death, but our request hasn't been answered as of late Friday night.
Haynie said there was only one person home with her son when he became unresponsive, and she wants answers.
"My child couldn't defend himself. And me being his mom, I just want justice for him," she said.
Forest Park Police said they were "unable to provide any information as it relates to this case; this is an open and ongoing active investigation. As an effort to protect the integrity of the case, information is currently unavailable."
Haynie said she's frustrated, pointing to the fact it's been seven months since her son died.
On Friday, they celebrated what would have been Christian's first birthday. They now live in Toccoa, about 95 miles northeast of Atlanta, where Christian is buried.
His family draped a custom-made blanket over his grave. The blanket reads, "I know heaven is a beautiful place because you're there."
"We would have had the best birthday party ever, and him not being here to enjoy it, it hurts a lot," Haynie said.
Haynie said she misses her son's laughs.
"He was a sweet baby. I had... I had a great baby," she explained.
She explained that he was the best thing to ever happen to her.
"I was very excited. He really changed my life for ... the better."
She said the family will not stop fighting for Christian until someone is held responsible for what happened to him on that Wednesday morning on Sept. 21, 2023.
Anyone with information on this case is asked to call Forest Park Police at (404) 366-4720.