The True Story Behind The Netflix Series Mindhunter: The Atlanta Child Murders

The Atlanta Child Murders refer to a series of killings that occurred in Atlanta, Georgia, from July 1979 to May 1981. During this period, at least 28 people, mostly children and adolescents, were killed. The case had a profound impact on the city and sparked widespread fear and outrage across the nation.

Timeline of Events

• The initial discovery of the murders began with the finding of 13-year-old Alfred Evans in a vacant lot in July 1979, followed by the discovery of 14-year-old Edward Hope Smith just 150 feet away from Evans. Smith had been killed by gunshot, while Evans had been strangled. The deaths of these two children were initially dismissed as “drug-related” by authorities, but as more bodies of Black youths turned up dead in the subsequent months, suspicions grew among the victims’ families that the crimes could be related.
• The next victims, 14-year-old Milton Harvey and 9-year-old Yusuf Bell, were both strangled to death. Bell, who lived in a housing project near where his body was found, was deeply loved by his community, leaving a profound impact on his neighbors. By March 1980, the death toll had reached six, leading to a growing realization among residents that their communities were in serious danger.