Mom Charged with Murder After Revenge Plot on Man Accused of Molesting Daughter Backfires

News By TooFab Staff |
DeKalb County Police

Danyale Harris and three others showed up armed to "confront" her daughter's alleged abuser, say police -- and while one man is dead, it's not their intended target.

A mother in Decatur, Georgia is behind bars after she attempted to confront a man accused of molesting her daughter ... and other man wound up dead.

According to a press release from the DeKalb County District Attorney, 42-year-old Danyale Harris was found guilty of Felony Murder, Aggravated Assault, Conspiracy to Commit Aggravated Assault and Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony after she allegedly tried "to take the law into her own hands."

She was sentenced to life with the possibility of parole, plus five years.

Per investigators, Harris discovered a video of her then-12-year-old daughter "involved in a sexual act" with 22-year-old Antonio Harley on March 31, 2020. The next day, she allegedly reported her discovery to police and was warned "not to let her anger get the best of her and not to try to get revenge." Authorities added they would get in touch with Harris during the investigation.

Harley, however, apparently didn't heed that warning.

That same day, per the DA, she and "a large group of people" drove to Harley's apartment complex to confront him. "Harris and three of the people she brought with her were armed with handguns," reads the release.

The woman then made her daughter point out where Harley lived, before the group knocked on the door.

"Harley did not open the door, but instead came around from the side of the apartment building to see who was there. Defendant Harris and the rest of the group chased Harley, who managed to make it back inside his apartment through the back door," said the DA.

Gunfire then broke out, as someone in Harris' group allegedly opened fire first -- striking Harley in the chest, but not killing him. Investigators say Harley's younger brother then returned fire "in an effort to protect himself and five of his younger siblings who were just feet away inside the apartment."

During the exchange, 19-year-old Juan Newkirk -- one of the people who showed up in Harris' group -- was struck and killed.

Per the release, two others involved in the confrontation were charged, while Harley was later charged with Statutory Rape, Child Molestation, and Sexual Exploitation of Children.

His case is pending.