Family continues fight for boy killed in 2021 state trooper chase
Family of a 12-year-old boy killed during a chase demands justice
The family of a 12-year-old boy killed during a chase continues to call for criminal charges against the state trooper and Paulding County deputies involved in the chase. People showed up to a rally in front of the State Capitol demanding action.
PAULDING COUNTY, Ga. - The family of a 12-year-old boy killed during a chase continue to call for criminal charges to brought against the state trooper and Paulding County deputies involved.
People showed up to a rally in front of the State Capitol building Wednesday demanding action.
"Le'den Boykins. Say his name," the crowd demanded.
FAMILY WANTS ANSWERS AFTER 12-YEAR-OLD KILLED IN CAR BEING CHASED BY GSP TROOPERS
FOX 5 has been following the family's push for justice for Le'den since the incident happened in 2021.
What happened to Le'den Boykins?
Le'den Boykins
In our initial report from Sept. 15, 2021, Le'den's father, Anthony Boykins, told FOX 5 reporter Alex Whittler that his son was riding in a car with his friend and the friend's parent, Charles Moore.
Georgia State Patrol said they pulled over Moore's car on Bethel Church Road around 1 a.m. because he was speeding.
Investigators said he didn't lower his window, so troopers tried to bust it open. When that happened, he drove off.
During the chase that pursued, the troopers used a pit maneuver to stop the car. The car flipped over, and Le'den was ejected.
"I wish he would have just pulled over, but that doesn't give them the right to flip that car over knowing there were kids in it," Le'den’s father told FOX 5.
The child's parents were out of town at the time, and said they weren't allowed to see his body for several days after the crash.
What happened to the troopers after the death of Le'den Boykins?
In 2021, FOX 5 reported that authorities claimed the troopers were being investigated.
By Feb. 2022 when FOX 5 revisited the Boykins' story, there were no updates on that investigation.
The Paulding County Sheriff's Office told reporter Portia Bruner they were saddened by the tragedy, but that it was the actions of the driver of the vehicle that put law officers in a position to have to stop him.
The Georgia Department of Public Safety has a policy manual with a specific chapter and subsection on pursuits. The section which was revised on April 7, 2016 states that "the PIT maneuver is considered a use of force and the trooper's/officer's individual actions must be objectively reasonable." The manual provides a list of factors that affect the safety of the move. One of the factors mentioned is whether children are visible in the vehicle.
A more than eight-minute-long audio of a 911 call made that night shows Moore told a dispatcher that there were children in the backseat.
"I've got my kids with me man," Moore could be heard saying on the recording.
"I’ve already let them know there are kids in the car," he said. "They're trying to flip me, man."
12-YEAR-OLD BOY KILLED DURING PAULDING COUNTY CHASE, ATTORNEY SAYS IT SHOULD HAVE NEVER HAPPENED
As of Wednesday evening, FOX 5 did not receive updates on a formal investigation. Any charges against the trooper or deputies involved were still not evident.
Attorneys for the family want State Attorney General Chris Carr to appoint a special prosecutor for the case.
What happened to Charles Moore?
Charles Moore
Charles Moore was arrested after the chase. He faced a long list of charges including DUI, open container in a motor vehicle, speeding, and driving with a suspended license.