Elementary school teacher charged with 2016 gang-related murders of 2 children

Michael De’Sean White, 26, an elementary school teacher in Georgia, was charged in the murder of 2 children. (Clayton County Police)

A Georgia elementary school teacher was charged last week with the murder of two children in a 2016 gang-related attack.

Michael De’Sean White, 26, who works at Toney Elementary School in DeKalb County, was arrested Friday and charged with the killing of 11-year-old Tatiyana Coates and 15-year-old Daveon Coates.

Clayton County police Maj. Tina Daniel told WSB-TV a police sketch of a man seen at the murder scene drawn by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation helped authorities make a case against White.

“It is still an open and pending investigation at this time,” Daniel said, adding at least one other person also has been arrested.

Authorities believe gang members invaded the children’s home in search for another teen who wasn’t there.

Daniel said the agency recovered a gun from a shootout in Tennessee the next day.

“At this time, we do believe the gun in Chattanooga was involved, somehow related in the incident,” she said. “We are still awaiting the final ballistics information.”

School district officials told WSB-TV that White had been removed from the elementary school pending the investigation. He taught fifth grade at the school since August and began with the district as a paraprofessional in March 2017.

“It kicks you in the gut that someone who’s responsible for our children on a daily basis could possibly be involved with a heinous crime like this,” Daniel said.