In September 2025, 20-year-old Justin Golden pleaded guilty to aggravated manslaughter of a child in the death of his 8-month-old son, Pablo Kye Golden.
His sentencing is now scheduled for December 1, 2025, where Golden now faces up to 30 years in prison.
He originally faced two charges — aggravated manslaughter of a child and vehicular homicide — but prosecutors later dropped the vehicular homicide charge after he accepted a plea deal.
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| Justin Golden |
The tragedy unfolded on the morning of January 25, 2025, near the intersection of McDuff and Lenox Avenues, in Duval County, Florida.
According to police reports, Golden was driving with his girlfriend, 20-year-old Shamir Whitby, and their baby Pablo, when an altercation started between the couple.
The argument was about the $8 change that was left after they had bought diapers from a Walmart store.
During the argument, Whitby stepped out of the car leaving the baby inside with Golden, but just seconds later, everything changed.
Golden continued driving and when he stopped at the next intersection, he opened the car door, placed the Pablo on the ground, and ran over him as he drove away.
First responders rushed the baby to Wolfson Children’s Hospital after eyewitness called 911, but he was pronounced dead shortly after.
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| Baby Pablo |
A driver who witnessed the incident from directly behind Golden immediately followed his vehicle to a nearby gas station after he refused to stop.
According to the arrest report, the witness was the one who called 911 and she stayed close to him, until caught up with him and took him into custody.
When criminal investigators interviewed him about what happened, Golden admitted he and Whitby were arguing and that she wanted to got out of the car, but he denied moving the baby from the car seat.
When Whitby spoke with police, she said she never touched Pablo or took him out of his car seat. She explained that she walked away to calm things down, but almost as soon as she stepped out, she heard screaming.
When she turned around, she saw her baby lying in the road — and Golden was already driving off.
CCTV footage later confirmed that Whitby walked away. It also showed Golden briefly stepping out, moving in front of the car, then getting back in and driving off.
The heartbreaking incident left a lasting impact on people in the area, including barbershop owner Markin Barnes, whose business sits near the intersection where the tragedy occurred.
According to First Coast News, he recalled hearing “a parent… kind of screaming,” which made him rush outside, and according to him, the memory still weighs heavily on him.
“A little kid lost his life. It’s sad that it’s two people that lost their lives, which is the kid and the dad, so it’s a double loss,” Barnes said.
As a father himself, the tragedy hit even harder, so he advised his community to stay united and aware:
“We have to bring awareness and we have to look out for each other because it takes a village,” he said. “If we’re not coming together, stuff like this is gonna continue to happen.”
Golden’s sentencing is set for December 1, 2025, where he faces a possible 30-year prison term for the death of his son.
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