Man sentenced to life for raping stepdaughter, killing their baby

<p>A DeKalb County judge sentenced 39-year-old Curtis Grayer to life in prison in the death of his infant son Thursday, plus 20 years for raping his 11-year-old stepdaughter, the baby's mother.</p><p>The jury had found Grayer guilty on charges of felony murder, rape, child molestation and child cruelty Wednesday. The felony murder conviction carries an automatic life sentence.</p><p>Authorities contended during his murder trial that he tried to force his stepdaughter to have a miscarriage by stomping on her and then denied her medical care when she had the baby, Kevin Lamont Hearns, on Oct. 18, 2002.</p><p>Sheila Hearns, Grayer's wife, said he told her he threw the baby's body into Lake Buena Vista in south DeKalb County. Even though the lake was partially drained, authorities found no human remains.</p><p>At the sentencing hearing, Grayer, acting as his own lawyer, gave the judge a letter on his behalf from a minister. The hearing had been postponed to allow Grayer to summon character witnesses.</p><p>Grayer claimed he never knew the child was pregnant until she delivered a stillborn baby.</p><p>___</p><p>HASH(0x1cd9e6c)</p>

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