Georgia Babysitter Pleads Guilty in Death of 2-Year-Old Found Mutilated in Storage Bin

Canton, Georgia

A 44-year-old Georgia woman pleaded guilty on Tuesday to second-degree murder in the 2022 death of a 2-year-old girl who was under her care. The toddler’s mutilated remains were later found hidden in a plastic storage bin inside a closet. 

Phillissa Diallo was sentenced by Chief Superior Court Judge David L. Cannon Jr. to 37 years in prison, with the first 21 years to be served behind bars. She also pleaded guilty to second-degree cruelty to children and concealing the death of another. 

According to prosecutors, Diallo walked into the Canton Police Department on December 14, 2022, and reported a deceased child in her apartment. Officers discovered the remains of Alyssa Rose Davis inside a plastic storage bin filled with a salt-like substance, concealed beneath other items in a closet. 

An autopsy determined the child died from lethal amounts of acetaminophen and diphenhydramine (commonly known as Tylenol and Benadryl).

Alyssa had been in Diallo’s continuous care for more than two weeks. Ring camera footage showed Diallo leaving the toddler alone in the apartment for extended periods. 

Prosecutors noted that while Diallo was the only person present with Alyssa in the days before and after her death, evidence was insufficient under Georgia law to support a malice murder charge. At the plea hearing, Diallo reportedly admitted the child was still alive at one point and that seeking medical help might have saved her. The child’s mother remained in regular contact with Diallo during that time and was unaware of her daughter’s death until notified by law enforcement. 

In court, Deputy Chief Assistant District Attorney Rachel Hines described Diallo’s actions as “willful neglect” followed by “gruesome, unimaginable steps to conceal her death.” Evidence included Ring footage of Diallo bringing bleach into the home and forensic testing showing areas where blood had been cleaned. The victim’s mother delivered an emotional impact statement, saying her family had been “robbed” and would never be the same.