Grandparents of 4-year-old found dead say father called Child Protective Services

A second woman now faces murder charges in connection with the death of a 4-year-old boy.

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The child’s grandparents say his 5-year-old brother is in the hospital with bruises that appear to be from child abuse. And they also say their son tried to intervene when he saw bruises on his boys.

“We’re heartbroken. We really are. We’re heartbroken because he didn’t deserve this,” Andrea and Brian Cooks said to Channel 2’s Tom Jones about the murder of their 4-year-old grandson, Cobee Cooks.

They say he had the sweetest soul, was a natural-born leader and had such a fun spirit.

“That’s why we can’t understand, like, what could a child with such a beautiful spirit do that to you for you to be so evil to him?” Andrea Cooks said.

Jasmaine Smoak, 32, now faces murder charges after Cobee was found dead in a southwest Atlanta home Monday night.

Officers say they tracked Smoak to Wilkes County with three other children, including Cobee’s 5- year-old brother Cayden, whose body was badly bruised.

Cayden’s grandparents have been by his side at the hospital.

“Just looking at my grandson with all the scars and bruises, it’s like it’s been an ongoing thing,” Brian Cooks said.

Now police say they have arrested another woman, Jasmaine Jenkins, in connection with Cobee’s death. She faces murder, child cruelty and other charges as well.

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Jones told the grandparents about the arrest during a Zoom interview. They said they had no idea.

“We heard that there might have been a second person, or a person of interest, but they didn’t elaborate on that,” Andrea Cooks said.

They said their son was estranged from Cobee and Cayden’s mother, and the children were staying with their mother’s friend while their mother was in jail.

They say their son loved his kids and had been trying to get custody of his sons. They say he called Georgia Child Protective Services and police when he noticed the kids appeared bruised.

But the grandparents say Department of Family and Children’s Services didn’t find anything amiss.

Brian Cooks wishes they had looked deeper. “My grandson could be here. Just look deeper,” he said, fighting back tears.

The Cooks said they don’t know the other two kids who were with Smoak when she was arrested.

They say they need prayer, and Cayden could use some clothes since all he has are the clothes with which he arrived at the hospital. They plan on getting Cayden counseling since he may have seen his brother’s demise.

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