Man found severely burned in woods off Flat Shoals dies at Grady; family seeks answers
DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. - A family is devastated and demanding answers after DeKalb County police found a man on fire in the woods off Flat Shoals Road last month.
The victim, 32-year-old Deshawn Manuel, was rushed to Grady Memorial Hospital’s burn unit where he later died, according to police.
Police discovered his severely burned body on Nov. 16. His family said it took a month for them to learn what happened.
One of his five children, Jacob Manuel, described him as a good father.
"I’m gonna miss him. I really wish he was still here," Jacob said.
Deshawn Manuel's family held an emotional vigil in his honor on Dec. 23, 2024.
What happened to Manuel largely remains a mystery.
The DeKalb County Medical Examiner's Office has not determined a cause of death, police said.
"At some point, he was on fire," Trophi Manuel, Deshawn’s sister, said. She explained that her brother was critically injured. "He was still fighting for his life at the moment. He was transported to Grady, and 11 hours later, he died."
The family faced additional heartache when it took a month to learn what had happened to Deshawn.
"He was pronounced on Nov. 16, and it took them until Dec. 16 to notify family members," Trophi said.
Police said they were not the ones to make the death notification. However, the severity of Manuel’s burns may have complicated the process of identifying him.
The family is questioning whether foul play was involved.
"I genuinely, genuinely, really, really want to understand why his death wasn’t investigated like many other deaths that happened over here," said Sakura Brumfield, Manuel’s fiancée. "Why they aren’t investigating, and why they just carted [him] away."
Loved ones recently gathered near the wooded area where Manuel was found to release balloons in his memory.
"He was a man of God, and he loved everybody," Brumfield said.
The family is urging anyone with information about Deshawn Manuel’s death to contact investigators.
Along with Jacob, the family said Deshawn leaves behind four other children: Deshawn Lee Jr., Faith, Jeremih, and Jason.
They are also seeking help to bring his remains back home to Mississippi and to support his kids. They have started an online fundraiser.
The Source: This is an original FOX 5 Atlanta report by Rob DiRienzo. Information in this article was gathered through interviews with Deshawn Manuel's family and reports from the DeKalb County Police Department.