Glynn County police investigating the death of a 17-month-old girl last week have arrested the mother's boyfriend and charged him with murder and cruelty to children.

Daryl Keon Jones, 32, was arrested Monday afternoon in connection with the death of Brianna Hester.

Police began investigating Thursday evening when officers responded to a call of a child not breathing at a home on Lantana Court. Brianna, who had a pulse but was not breathing, was transported to the Southeast Georgia Medical Center. She was then airlifted to Savannah Memorial Hospital, where she died early Friday morning.

An autopsy conducted at the Georgia Bureau of Investigation crime lab in Savannah indicated trauma to the head.

According to police, Jones was taking care of his three children and Brianna when the girl stopped breathing. Jones called for help.

Four days later, police arrested Jones, who lived with the victim and her mother at the Lantana Court home.

"Information came forward that gave us what we felt was enough in which he had direct involvement in the death of this child," said Glynn County Police Chief Matt Doering.

The chief would not release exactly what information they have. He said only that there were three other children in the home when the incident took place and that Jones was the only adult in the home.

Neighbors in the area were shocked to learn what happened. Hazel Roberts said her children often play with the children in Jones' home and she never saw any problems.

"Are you serious? Wow. I had no clue. He was very ? when the kids were over here he made sure they did homework and they all loved him," Roberts said.

"I don?t believe that there was any long-term planning here. So often that's the case, but under the code the legal part of murder involves even something as short as one second of malice," Doering said.

The chief said Brianna's death has hit the department especially hard because she was the granddaughter of one of the men in his department.

Anyone with information about the case is asked to call Investigator Bill Daras at 912-554-7825.