April 24, 2025 — A Sumner County jury has found Malik M. Parker guilty of aggravated child abuse following a three-day trial in Criminal Court. The conviction was announced by Sumner County District Attorney General Ray Whitley, who commended both the prosecution and law enforcement for their diligent work in a heartbreaking case that has left permanent scars on a young child.
Parker was indicted in 2023 after an investigation by Detectives Sean Simms, Lee Chambers, and Steve Malach of the Hendersonville Police Department. Their investigation revealed Parker inflicted serious head trauma on a 20-month-old toddler who had been left in his care overnight. The injuries resulted in lasting medical conditions that the child will live with for the rest of her life.
Assistant District Attorneys Tara Wyllie and Nathan Nichols led the prosecution, securing the conviction in what DA Whitley described as a “very difficult case.” Parker will be sentenced on June 6, 2025, by Criminal Court Judge Dee David Gay.
Aggravated child abuse is classified as a Class A felony in Tennessee and carries a sentencing range of 15 to 25 years in prison without the possibility of parole, probation, or early release.
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