Vienna woman pleads guilty to concealing death of child

CORDELE, Ga. – On Wednesday, February 4, 2026, Keara Cotton pleaded guilty to Murder in the Second Degree and Concealing a Death. Cotton, a 31-year-old from Vienna, was sentenced to serve 25 years in the Georgia Department of Corrections.

The convictions stem from events that occurred in November of 2021 wherein her four-year-old child, Jayceion Mathis, died while in her care. For months, the Department of Family and Children Services had attempted to make contact with Cotton and her child to no avail. When the Department of Family and Children Services contacted law enforcement for assistance, Cotton left her Dooly County residence and fled to Cordele, Americus, and Columbus, Georgia. While in Cordele, Cotton discarded the decomposing remains of her child in a shopping bag and shower curtain in a field behind a shopping center. Although varying accounts were made regarding how the child died, the medical examiner was unable to determine an exact cause of death due to the severity of decomposition of the child’s body.

“I can think of no better justice for Jayceion than the conviction of his murderer on his birthday, February 4, 2026. The District Attorney’s Office is thankful to speak for the children who have no voice and preserve justice for them,” said District Attorney Brad Rigby.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation led the investigation into the case as assisted by the Vienna Police Department, Dooly County Sheriff’s Office, and the Crisp County Sheriff’s Office.

District Attorney Brad Rigby and Assistant District Attorneys Whitney Bradford and J.D. Hart prosecuted the case on behalf of the State of Georgia.

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