At first, investigators believed 8-year-old Noah Bush accidentally fell into a construction pit and drowned in Jesup, Ga. in May. Then, in July, law enforcement uncovered something much more sinister.
A 10-year-old and 11-year-old boy – whose names have not been publicly released – have both been convicted in connection to the second grader’s drowning, Mawuli Davis, one of the lawyers representing Noah’s family, tells PEOPLE.
The Wayne County Sheriff’s Office did not respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment. District Attorney Keith Higgins declined to comment on the case or to confirm facts of the case listed in an email to him, citing the involvement of juveniles.
In juvenile court last week, the 11-year-old, who is White, told the judge that he had pushed the Black child into the county pit and then held his head under the water, according to Davis, who attended the hearing. Proceedings and court records connected to juvenile cases are largely shut off to the public.
Following the child’s admission, he was convicted of involuntary manslaughter, simple battery, concealing the death of another and trespassing, which led to him being sentenced to two years in a youth detention facility, the maximum sentence allowable based on his age, according to Davis.
At the sentencing hearing Thursday, Aug. 22, Noah’s mother, Demetrice Bush, gave a victim impact statement, a copy of which her lawyers released to PEOPLE, and in which she mourned the loss of her “little boy with dreams of becoming someone great and those dreams were snatched away senselessly.”
Referring to the 11-year-old in court, Demetrice added: “Even though he knows right from wrong, even though he lied to keep himself out of trouble because he knew what he did was wrong, he’s treated as a victim when it’s my son who’s dead.”
Last month, the 10-year old, who is also White, was convicted in a hearing of criminal trespassing and concealing the death of another and sentenced to two years in the juvenile facility, per Davis.
The 11-year-old’s mother, Natalie Hardison, has also been charged with giving false statements to police, according to Davis.
Hardison’s incarceration record is not publicly available online with other local inmates “for her safety,” Jail Administrator Terry Mays tells PEOPLE, confirming she remains in Wayne County Custody. The scheduling of her next court appearance was not immediately made clear.
Noah’s family reported him missing May 15, after he did not return from playing outside, Davis tells PEOPLE.
Investigators recovered Noah’s body a day later, after draining the county-owned pit, which was within walking distance of Noah’s home and which Davis says was not properly fenced-off.
Among those who had attended the desperate search for Noah was the 11-year-old – who, Davis says, knew the child was sunk in the bottom of the pit – as well as his mother’s partner. All three boys were neighbors and Noah had been friends with the 10-year-old for two years, per Davis.
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At the time, the sheriff’s office said that no foul play was involved and that Noah had wandered into the pit and drowned, according to family lawyers.
But, Noah’s family – who did not believe the 8-year-old, knowingly afraid of large pools of water, would have gone inside the pit of his own free will – pushed for a more thorough investigation “and ultimately were proven right,” Davis explains.
Davis says the incident – which occurred some 30 miles from Glynn County, where Ahmaud Arbery was killed in a racially-motivated attack while jogging in a South Georgia neighborhood in 2020 – sparked multi-racial community outrage, with protestors gathering in downtown Jesup every week since Noah’s death.
Protesters have continued calls to hold responsible the adults connected in the case, per Davis, who credited Noah’s mom and community protestors who “have not allowed this to be covered up.”
Davis also says his law firm is continuing to collect evidence that they plan to soon submit to the FBI, in addition to possible civil litigation to obtain “full justice” for Noah’s family.
PEOPLE asked the district attorney if the incident was being investigated as a hate crime, which Higgins declined to comment on as well.
Noah’s second-grade teacher, Gracie Yoder, described Noah on a GoFundMe page as “an intelligent, kind and loving child,” who loved playing football, basketball and video games, and who was known for “giving out infinite hugs.”
“His light was radiant, and his smile was infectious,” Yoder wrote, adding: “He will be missed so much, and this loss will leave a hole in so many hearts.” (People)