A married couple, Brandon and Stacey Kelley, are accused of starving their daughter, Vyolet, to death while they lived at Fort Stewart, a Georgia U.S. Army Base. Brandon was an enlisted soldier at the time.
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According to a release issued by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Georgia, a federal court unsealed the Kelleys’ indictment on August 8, 2025. They are accused of starving their daughter to death, allegedly depriving her of “adequate nourishment and medical care” while the family lived at Fort Stewart Military Reservation.
‘Malice Aforethought’
The indictment in question, filed on August 6, alleged that the crimes the couple is being accused of occurred “from on or about October 26, 2024, to on or about November 22, 2024.”
The document didn’t specify Vyolet’s age, but did say she was younger than 18. Additionally, Brandon and Stacey Kelley are accused of killing their daughter with “malice aforethought,” that is, premeditation. They aided and abetted each other to do so, the indictment alleged.
Both parents allegedly killed Vyolet at Fort Stewart, a place where the family lived, as Brandon was enlisted as a soldier at the time.
A federal grand jury indicted them on charges of felony murder (child abuse) and two counts of second-degree murder. If convicted of all charges, they face up to life in prison.
“The allegations in this case are heartbreaking on many levels,” Acting United States Attorney Tara M. Lyons said. “Our office will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to pursue justice.”
Fort Stewart Shooting
The indictment was filed the same day that five soldiers are Fort Stewart were allegedly shot by Sgt. Quornelius Radford.
An active shooter was reported at around 11 a.m., local time, leading to a lockdown. Approximately 40 minutes after the initial reports, Fort Stewart reported that the alleged shooter, Radford, had been apprehended.
All five soldiers survived, with Radford allegedly shooting but missing a sixth one. The wounded were transported to a local hospital for treatment. Allegedly, among the victims was Radford’s partner.
Quornelius Radford faces 13 charges, including attempted murder, domestic violence, and aggravated assault. He is currently being held at Joint Base Charleston for pre-trial confinement, as per WTOC.