A Douglasville man has pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting an infant and will spend the rest of his life in prison.
According to Paulding County investigators, 22-year-old Jesse James Hawkins used an unknown object to sexually assault the 10-month-old girl. Hawkins, prosecutors said, was the child's mother's boyfriend.
The investigation began around March 25, 2025, after the girl's mother took her to Children's Healthcare of Atlanta for treatment.
Hawkins pleaded guilty on Oct. 23 to aggravated sexual battery, aggravated battery, first-degree cruelty to children and second-degree cruelty to children.
Judge Matthew Rollins accepted the negotiated plea agreement and imposed the sentence that day. Hawkins must serve all 25 years of the prison term, according to the district attorney's office. His sentence also includes special supervision requirements for sex offenders.
"Our office is committed to protecting children and holding predators accountable," District Attorney Robert S. Lane said in a statement. "While no sentence can undo the harm suffered by this child, today's sentence ensures that the defendant will spend decades behind bars for his actions."
