A Columbus mother defends her son, Noah Toney, charged in the deadly Bay Avenue shooting, sharing an emotional Facebook plea amid arrests and calls for justice for the victim, Kalielah Davis.
Latoya Bowens, a devoted mother from Columbus, Georgia, took to her Facebook to share her heartache and clear the air about her teenage son, who now faces serious charges in a tragic shooting.
In an emotional post, she painted a picture of a good kid caught up in a nightmare he never asked for, all while sending prayers to the family of the young woman who lost her life.
On a Friday night, September 5, 2025, around 11 p.m., 18-year-old Kalielah Davis was sitting in the back seat of a parked Toyota Corolla on Bay Avenue, near the Chattahoochee Riverwalk.
She had been out with friends after a night in downtown Columbus; however, it became her last night when gunfire suddenly erupted from the street.
Reportedly, bullets tore through the passenger-side window and struck her in the head.
Although Kalielah was rushed to Piedmont Columbus Regional Hospital, she succumbed to the injury from the gunshot.
According to the police, Kalielah’s four friends in the car were not hurt, but they were scared out of their minds.
Following the tragic incident, the Columbus Police Department’s Violent Crimes Unit quickly took the lead on the case. They retrieved surveillance footage from nearby businesses and the Real-Time Crime Center.
Eventually, they tracked a suspect vehicle leaving the scene and pieced together images of five individuals in distinctive clothing.
Police arrested five young people in connection with the shooting that killed 18-year-old Kalielah Davis. All of them are accused of murder and five counts of aggravated assault for the gunfire that hit the car where Kalielah was riding.
The three youngest are charged under Senate Bill 440, which means they will be tried as adults.
Lafabien Anderson, 16, was arrested on September 11, and his case was sent directly to Superior Court with no bond allowed. He also faces an extra charge for having a gun when he was under 18.
Kacin Grant, 21, was arrested on September 17 in Alabama and is waiting to be brought back to Georgia.
15-year-old Ty’Ron Cherry was arrested on September 17, and his first court hearing is set for September 23 at 1:30 p.m. He also faces a charge for having a gun when he was under 18.
Lamarcus Williams, 18, was arrested on September 17, and his first court hearing is set for September 23 at 1:30 p.m.
Whereas Latoya’s son, Noah Tone, 15, was arrested on September 17, and like Ty’Ron, his first court hearing is on September 23 at 1:30 p.m. He also faces that extra charge for having a gun under 18.
Latoya Bowens spoke strongly in his defense in her Facebook post.
She explained that Noah had gone to the Central High School football game that night, just like any other teenager enjoying a Friday night under the lights.
Likewise, Latoya also revealed that Noah went downtown because his cousin asked him to join. She insisted he hardly knew the other boys and had no idea what would happen.
Latoya Bowens shared her pain on Facebook, saying it broke her heart to see him in court clothes that morning, writing:
To know my son is to know that he’s a good child, never been in trouble a day in his life.
Latoya Bowens
She wishes he had talked to the police right away, but she promises he will tell what he knows now to help bring justice for Kalielah’s family.
“Because he didn’t open his mouth from the jump,” she wrote. “he is being charged with the same charges the actual person who committed the crime got.”
Not only did Latoya stand up for her son, but she also expressed her sadness for Kalielah, writing:
That baby did not deserve that at all my heart hurts for her and she is the same age as my son
Latoya Bowens
I’m soooo sorry to the babygirl
