A 21-year-old father from Hephzibah has been charged with murder following the death of his 4-month-old son, who succumbed to injuries sustained a week earlier.
Daveon Jonquavious Wood is now facing charges of murder and child cruelty in connection with the death of his infant son, Aiden Jonquezz Wood.
Wood has been in jail since Nov. 9, when the child was injured. Originally charged with child cruelty, Wood now faces the added murder charge after Aiden’s condition worsened and he passed away on Wednesday.
Authorities believe the child suffered brain injuries, possibly from being struck or shaken. He was taken to Children’s Hospital of Augusta, where medical staff, along with Aiden’s family, held an emotional Honor Walk on Saturday before his organs were donated.
The injuries are believed to have occurred after a chaotic evening in which Wood was reportedly involved in a disturbance at a McDonald’s on Tobacco Road, where he was seen fighting with employees after going through the drive-thru. That may explain the bruise near his eye, visible in his mugshot.
The child’s mother, Jadan Gardenhire, reportedly left the child with Woods’ sister as she went to pick up her vehicle that Wood left at the fast-food restaurant. Wood returned to the home while Gardenhire was gone, took the baby in a room and was heard screaming at his son to shut up. The child stopped crying and breathing, according to family members.
Wood and Gardenhire have a history of domestic issues. Over the past 18 months, Wood has been arrested multiple times for charges including domestic violence, stalking, and reckless driving. He was placed on probation following a 2023 case and served part of a 90-day sentence in jail earlier this year for a separate domestic incident. (Story continues below.)
On Jan. 27, 2024, Wood was arrested after an incident involving shots fired on Windsor Spring Road. He had reportedly self-evicted from Gardenhire’s residence a week earlier and was accused of stalking her.
According to a sheriff’s report, Wood claimed he had been waiting outside Gardenhire’s home when he saw a vehicle matching her description. He alleged that when the vehicle reversed and tried to flee, he followed it. During the pursuit, the driver of the vehicle—identified as a man in a blue Ford Escape—reportedly fired shots at Wood. A family member later told authorities that Wood had a long history of abusive behavior toward Gardenhire, often stalking her and provoking arguments.
When Wood returned to the trailer, Gardenhire claimed to have seen him with what appeared to be a gun, which was later identified as a paintball gun. Authorities recovered the paintball gun from inside the trailer and found tire marks and acceleration marks at the scene. Wood was arrested on charges of reckless driving and misdemeanor stalking.
Wood, of Windsor Spring Road, is being held without bond at the Charles B. Webster Detention Center.
In the wake of Aiden’s death, Gardenhire has expressed her grief on social media. On her Facebook page, she has updated the listing of her children, now adding angel emojis next to Aiden’s name in a tribute to her son.
The investigation into the circumstances surrounding Aiden’s death continues.
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