Deputy Acquitted in 'Baby Bou Bou' Trial

CUMMING, GA -- A former Habersham County sheriff’s deputy who was indicted on federal charges related to a botched drug raid that left a baby burned was acquitted on all charges Friday, according to a report.

Nikki Autry, 29 was charged with providing false information in a search warrant affidavit and providing the same false information to obtain an arrest warrant, Patch reported in July. Providing false information to a judge to procure a warrant is a civil rights violation.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office told FOX 5 Atlanta Friday afternoon that Autry had in fact been found not guilty.

Autry allegedly provided law enforcement with the address of a so-called drug house while knowing a police informant had never bought drugs from anyone at the residence. Autry was also accused of failing to check that any drug activity was going on at the residence before submitting the information.

The information Autry gave a judge caused him to issue a no-knock warrant for the residence;. During the May 28, 2014 service of the warrant, a flash bang grenade was thrown into the crib of Bounkham Phonesavanh. The grenade detonated and severely burned the child who came to be known as “Baby Bou Bou.”

A Habersham grand jury that looked into the police raid found “the drug investigation that led to these events was hurried, sloppy,” reported WSB TV earlier this year, but the jury did not recommend criminal charges against any of the officers involved. No drugs were found in the house, and the suspect police sought was later arrested peacefully.

“They made the mistake,” Alecia Phonesavanh tells the TV station. “And we got the backlash of everything.”