2-Year-Old Killed Outside Ga. McDonald’s

A man accused of driving a car that struck two sisters and their three small children outside a McDonald’s restaurant hit them intentionally, authorities said Wednesday. One of the children died later Wednesday at a hospital, a relative said.

“There was clear intent to injure the people. It was obvious,” Police Chief Stacey Cotton said. “This was absolutely not an accident.”

The car on Tuesday struck the five, hit the restaurant, then backed up and hit them, police said. All five were hospitalized.

Avery Nicole King, 2, who had been in critical condition, died Wednesday afternoon at an Atlanta hospital, said her uncle, Paul Casola.

{snip}Lanny Barnes, 46, appeared in court Wednesday. He faces five felony charges of aggravated assault and was ordered held without bail pending a mental health evaluation. Cotton said Wednesday night that Barnes faces additional charges because of the toddler’s death, including murder.

McDonald’s worker Ryan Boldman-Snyder was outside on a break when the attack happened and said the driver was “smiling the whole time.”

There was no apparent connection between the victims and Barnes, and authorities have no motive, Cotton said.

“I’ve seen some pretty heinous things occur, but nothing like this with no explanation,” Cotton said. “That’s the strange thing. That’s the big question mark: Why?”

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