Father arrested in gruesome murder of 5-year-old boy

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. -- (WGCL) -- Police have revealed disturbing details about the death of a 5-year-old boy whom police believe was killed by his father.

Officers responded to a home on Rocky Pine Drive near Lithonia at about 6:30 p.m. Wednesday. The home belongs to the boy's grandmother, police said.

Police said the boy's parents are visiting from California. The boy's mother and grandmother left to run errands Wednesday, leaving the boy with his father and the father's young siblings.

The father has been identified as 25-year-old Montrais Boyd. Detectives believe Boyd bludgeoned his son to death to the point where the child was decapitated. Boyd then buried his son in the backyard, police said.

When the boy's mother and grandmother returned to the home, they called police. The mother used her hands to frantically dig for the child's remains, police said.

"There were other children in the home as well. They are not his children. None of them are harmed. This is an isolated incident," said DeKalb County Police spokesperson Shiera Campbell.

A police chaplain responded to the scene to help officers and the victim's family members cope with the tragedy.