By Chuck Hustmyre
March 21, 2007
BRUNSWICK, Ga. (Crime Library) — A Glynn County grand jury returned a 13-count indictment Wednesday against four people in connection with the kidnapping and killing of 6-year-old Christopher Barrios.
Most of the charges were leveled against convicted child molester George Edenfield, 32, his father, 58-year-old David Edenfield — also a convicted sex offender — and his mother, Peggy Edenfield, 57.
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Glynn County Courthouse |
According to a press release from Glynn County District Attorney Stephen D. Kelley, all three Edenfields were indicted for murder, kidnapping with bodily injury, enticing a child for indecent purposes, false imprisonment, and child molestation.
George and David Edenfield were also indicted for aggravated child molestation.
The three Edenfields and family friend Donald Dale, 34, were also charged with concealing the death of a person and tampering with evidence.
Under Georgia law, a conviction for murder carries with it the possibility of a death sentence.
"We will be seeking the death penalty," Kelley said in the press release.
Suspected killer in court three days before 6-year-old disappeared
Three days before allegedly kidnapping and murdering 6-year-old Christopher Barrios as the kindergartener walked home after playing on a neighborhood swing set, George Edenfield was in court pleading guilty to his second felony sex offense involving children.
Court records show that on Monday, March 5, Edenfield stood before Glynn County Superior Court Judge Stephen Scarlett and pleaded guilty to violating the state's sexual offender registry law.
A grand jury indicted Edenfield, 32, in September after authorities learned the convicted sex offender was living within 1,000 feet of Brunswick's Orange Park playground. Sheriff's deputies ordered Edenfield to move within 10 days but then arrested him after he failed to comply.
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George David Edenfield (mugshot) |
At the time, Edenfield lived at 2122 Union St. in downtown Brunswick.
In 1997, Edenfield was convicted of molesting two boys, ages 9 and 7, who lived just a few houses down from him on Union Street. In exchange for his guilty plea, Edenfield was not given any prison time and was instead sentenced to 10 years probation, with the stipulation that he not have any unsupervised contact with persons under the age of 18, and that he obey all of the stipulations contained in the state's sexual offender registration statute.
One of those stipulations was that he not live within 1,000 feet of any place where children congregate, such as schools and playgrounds.
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