Journey Ann Cowart

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Journey Cowart celebrated her first birthday 11 days before her death. On January 21, Journey was brought into the emergency room at Cartersville Medical Center by her mother, Brandy Boyd, and her mother’s boyfriend, Austin Payne, unresponsive and not breathing. Shortly after she died in the emergency room when resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful. As soon as Journey was brought in, it was very clear that she was being tortured and beat, and had been for some time.

 

Journey’s injuries were extensive, including, a fractured skull, blunt force trauma to the stomach, broken ribs which had already healed, a broken leg which also had already healed, a plethora of other broken bones in various stages of healing including broken bones in her toes, a lacerated liver, extensive internal organ damage including a hole in her stomach, several severe bite wounds and anal bleeding. In fact, Journey’s injuries, the medical examiner says, are the worst she has ever seen and show that Journey had been abused and beaten for at least seven months prior to her death, which is more than half of her life.

 

Journey’s father, Blake Cowart, tragically passed away in April of 2013. He was reported missing by his family and Boyd, and just over a month later his body was found in the Etowah River by fisherman, a mere 15 yards from his home. Authorities say that there is no indication of foul play in Blake’s death. Blake had allegedly stopped taking his seizure medication which he needed as the result of a brain injury. Boyd told police that Blake suffered short-term memory loss, confusion and she feared he had been using drugs. According to Blake’s sister, he had been up for several days, possibly due to illegal drug use, when he went missing.

 

Boyd and Payne were arrested and are both charged with felony murder. In September of 2014, a Grand Jury indicted Austin Levi Payne and Brandy Ann Boyd on a 22 count indictment with charges that included malice murder, felony murder, cruelty to children in the first degree, battery and aggravated battery.