Chatham Co. Judge denies bond for convicted child killer now charged with abusing his own son

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - A convicted killer in Savannah is now facing 3 counts of cruelty to children in the 1st degree and 3 counts of battery-domestic violence.

Chief Judge Joe Huffman found probable cause at a preliminary hearing in Chatham County Recorder’s Court and bound the case to a grand jury for consideration of an indictment.

Patrick Daniel Sullivan, 48, appeared remotely from the Chatham County Detention Center with his attorney.

How the investigation began

The case began April 21, 2026, when patrol officers responded to Cranman Drive for a report of vandalism to Sullivan’s truck. Officers made contact with Sullivan’s son, who was among a group of juveniles damaging the vehicle.

When asked why, Sullivan’s son told officers it was because his father had raped and beaten him.

Special Victims Unit Detective Jason Zimmerman took over the investigation from there.

What the investigation revealed

Det. Zimmerman testified in court that his investigation revealed Sullivan’s son had been reporting sexual abuse by his father. He said those allegations remain under active investigation and that portion of the case is still open.

Sullivan’s son was interviewed twice at the Coastal Children’s Advocacy Center. The detective testified that during the first interview, the boy recanted, saying he had lied.

Det. Zimmerman said the boy was staying at the time with Sullivan’s girlfriend, who had threatened him that he would be sent to juvenile detention if he told lies.

After the boy was moved to the home of Sullivan’s sister, his aunt, Tiffany Jordan, he came forward again with the same allegations against his dad. In the second interview, he disclosed the physical abuse and repeated the sexual abuse allegations.

“He stated that the allegations were in fact true,” Zimmerman said.

Photographs document injuries

Zimmerman testified that three sets of photographs of injuries to the young boy formed the basis for the charges.

Sullivan’s sister provided two sets of photos. One set, dated July 9, 2024, showed the boy with a black eye. A second set, dated October 15, 2023, showed a handprint on the left side of his face and bruising and redness on the right side of his face.

The boy’s aunt told investigators Sullivan would drop his son off at her home and she would photograph the injuries and ask where they came from. His father told the aunt that his son caused all the injuries to himself.

A third set of photographs was provided by Patricia Sturgis, identified in testimony as the boy’s great-aunt.

“There was pictures of his left eye, had a black eye. Then there’s pictures from October 15th where you can see a hand print on the left side of his face, more bruising and redness to the right side of his face. Then the most severe pictures were the bruising all along the back of his legs and buttocks,” testified Detective Zimmerman.

Those photos, dated May 12, 2024, showed bruising from the buttocks down to below the knees on the left leg, what appeared to be an adult-sized handprint, and linear bruising on the right thigh consistent with a belt.

The boy’s great-aunt told investigators she sent the photo to Patrick Sullivan and warned him that if he ever brought his son to her home with those types of injuries again, she would call police. She said he did not after that point, which is why she had not previously reported it.

“Sounds like DFACS sucks and they can’t do their job and let this child be abused, allegedly. So they have decided to put this child with persons who had photographs of the alleged violence and didn’t seek help for this child. What kind of morons are working there?” explained Chief Judge Joe Huffman.

The suspect, Patrick Sullivan’s response

Det. Zimmerman said he interviewed Sullivan at the Chatham County Detention Center with another detective. Sullivan was read his constitutional rights before the interview.

When shown the photographs, Sullivan said his son had caused the injuries to himself. Sullivan also told investigators that when he gained custody of his son six years ago, the boy had reported being sexually abused by foster parents, and that investigation did not result in charges.

Sullivan said his son was a liar and that his current allegations just stemmed from trauma related to the foster family situation.

“Why keep pictures on their phone then? These photos are from years ago. Why do they still have it if they don’t believe it?” asked Chief Judge Huffman.

Prior criminal history

Sullivan has a prior felony record dating to 1990, including a 2014 voluntary manslaughter conviction, a prior aggravated assault conviction, and a 2025 conviction for theft by receiving stolen property.

Court records show Sullivan remained on probation for at least some of those convictions at the time of this hearing.

Patrick Sullivan’s criminal history for that manslaughter charge was a plea deal, that brought his murder charges down.

That case involves a 2001 incident in which he shook a 12-month-old child, DaShawn Anthony Mitchell Garza, while babysitting him for his then-girlfriend. The child suffered a traumatic brain injury and never recovered.

Court records show that baby was found unresponsive and in critical condition, and was later determined to be in a coma and respiratory arrest with retinal hemorrhages, subarachnoid bleeding, brain swelling, and no significant external trauma.

He never walked or talked again and required continuous care for the remainder of his short life.

“The defendant, Sullivan, gave a statement to police at two separate times. He was recorded as saying that the baby had fallen off the couch. He did appear very remorseful stating several times that if the child died he would kill himself. He wished he was dead, etcetera. He denied shaking the child or hitting him on anything or hitting him with anything.

However, after he gave those two statements, he then gave a third unrecorded brief statement to the detective merely commenting that he hadn’t meant to do it. But he had grabbed the baby’s shoulders and shaken him because he would not stop crying. The mother ultimately, with—after consultation with the doctors, decided to take the child off life support. However, shockingly to all of the doctors, the child remained alive, was able to breathe on his own, at least enough to remain alive."

According to court records in the case

See previous coverage of that guilty plea: www.wtoc.com/story/25445310/savannah-man-pleads-guilty-in-2002-infant-death/

Sullivan was arrested September 6, 2001, indicted, and convicted by a jury of aggravated assault in April 2002. He was sentenced to 20 years to serve. Court records show Sullivan initially told investigators the baby had just fallen off a couch, but later admitted he had grabbed the child’s shoulders and shaken him because the baby would not stop crying.

Sullivan remained incarcerated from 2001 until December 2013. His conviction was reversed following habeas proceedings in October 2013. But... approximately two weeks before the reversal, DaShawn died. He was 13 years old.

He was cared for by doctors during most if not all of his life.

After the child died, Sullivan was re-indicted on felony murder in February 2014.

In a plea deal in Chatham County Superior Court, the charge was reduced to voluntary manslaughter, in a negotiated guilty plea, and signed by Judge Walmsley.

Sullivan was sentenced to 12 years plus three months, credited as time served, with the remainder to be served on probation. So he spent no more time in jail.

Bond denied

In this case involving his son, Chief Judge Huffman denied bond.

“Thereby every single freaking adult human being that knew this child and did nothing, I’ve heard probable cause for cruelty to the children in the second degree, period, end of story, every single one, but it’s not before me,” said Chief Judge Huffman.

WTOC reached out to SPD to ask if they are planning to arrest these women and charge them as well--- and were told it’s an active investigation, so they can’t answer that question.

The prosecution cited Sullivan’s prior record and said he posed a danger to the alleged victim and the community. Joplin noted bond had previously been denied on the grounds that Sullivan posed a significant risk to the alleged victim.

Sullivan’s attorney argued Sullivan is a lifelong Chatham County resident and said DFCS, which currently has custody of the boy, was not opposed to bond. Huffman rejected the argument and denied bond.

The case was bound to the Chatham County Grand Jury for consideration of further prosecution. The next step would be an indictment.