Wyatt and Rachel Tallon are parents of two beautiful girls and have been falsely accused of abuse by doctors at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta (CHOA).

The Tallons’ youngest daughter, Josie, accidentally fell off the couch. As a precaution and at the family pediatrician’s request, Wyatt and Rachel took her to CHOA. They met Dr. Keely Iannelli, a fellow undergoing specialized training in child abuse pediatrics. Dr. Stephen Messner, a child abuse pediatrician (CAP), did not physically examine Josie, but agreed with Dr. Iannelli’s findings. Soon thereafter, the Tallons’ lives were turned upside down.

Dr. Iannelli and Dr. Messner misdiagnosed Josie as having been abused, which led to the involvement of law enforcement and Georgia’s Division of Family and Children Services (DFCS). Because of the misdiagnosis, Wyatt and Rachel were arrested, charged with felonies, and Josie was removed from the care of her parents. 

These are the same doctors who falsely claimed that parents in Troup County, Georgia, abused their son. The parents’ DFCS case and their criminal charges were later dismissed, discrediting both doctors.  Dr. Messner is the same CAP who also falsely accused Brady and Carrie Timms of abusing their son. Once again, he was discredited after a jury acquitted the Timms. Brady and Carrie were prosecuted by the Cherokee Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office, the same office now prosecuting the Tallons.

Within twenty-four hours of the Timms verdict, DFCS closed its case against Wyatt and Rachel. And since case closure, a well-respected orthopedic surgeon reviewed Josie’s medical records and concluded: “The allegations of child abuse are strongly refuted by the medical history, bone findings at multiple sites, and lab values, which are consistent with inadequate early bone mineralization…” The superior court judge overseeing the Tallon case, the same judge who handled the Timms case, has returned Josie to her parents’ care.

Yet, Earle Newton, the elected district attorney, and his staff refuse to acknowledge that Wyatt and Rachel, like Brady and Carrie Timms, are innocent and dismiss the pending criminal charges against them. Mr. Newton is once again relying on Dr. Messner’s opinion to prosecute a case.   

The Tallons need our help. Using the provided template, email Earle Newton and Whitney Law, his chief assistant district attorney, and request that they dismiss the pending charges against Wyatt and Rachel.

Email the Cherokee County District Attorney and Assistant District Attorney listed below

*mobile users, tapping the mail link will provide a pre-formatted and addressed email, simply personalize with your name*

• District Attorney Earle Newton:
  enewton@pacga.org
  
• Assistant District Attorney Law:
  wlaw@pacga.org
  

Template:

Dear District Attorney Newton/ Assistant District Attorney Law,

I am concerned about the possible prosecution of Wyatt and Rachel Tallon. They were arrested by the Bartow County Sheriff’s Office and charged with two felony offenses. After their youngest daughter, Josie, fell off the couch, her parents, at the request of the family pediatrician, took her to the Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta (CHOA). Their nightmare began when they met Dr. Keely Iannelli, a fellow who was undergoing specialized training in child abuse pediatrics. Dr. Stephen Messner, a child abuse pediatrician, reviewed and agreed with Dr. Iannelli’s findings without having physically examined Josie. It was then that Wyatt and Rachel were falsely accused of abusing their daughter because doctors at CHOA misdiagnosed her underlying medical condition, which makes her prone to fractures.

The Tallon case mirrors a recent case your office prosecuted that garnered national attention, involving Brady and Carrie Timms. Their son, Jameson, was taken to CHOA and misdiagnosed by Dr. Messner as abused when he had underlying medical issues that, like Josie’s, made him susceptible to fractures. The Timms family was unnecessarily separated for over 1,000 days because CHOA, along with various local and state agencies, failed to investigate the case properly. It took a jury just three hours to acquit Brady and Carrie, discrediting Dr. Messner.

Dr. Iannelli and Dr. Messner also falsely accused a couple in Troup County, Georgia, of abusing their son. Their DFCS case and criminal charges were later dismissed after it was determined that the couple’s child had an underlying health condition and was not abused, discrediting the doctors.

Wyatt and Rachel are factually innocent. CHOA saw what they thought were fractures without considering Josie’s complete medical history. In fact, within twenty-four hours of the Timms verdict, DFCS closed its case against them. Adding authority to the situation, the superior court judge presiding over the Tallon case ordered Josie to be returned to her parents’ care.

And more to the point of innocence, a well-respected orthopedic surgeon reviewed the Tallon case and concluded in his findings and report: “The allegations of child abuse are strongly refuted by the medical history, bone findings at multiple sites, and lab values, which are consistent with inadequate early bone mineralization…”

I request that your office dismiss the charges against Wyatt and Rachel, allowing them to heal as a family and move forward with their lives.

Thank you for doing the right thing in this matter.
Respectfully submitted,
YOUR NAME