Kaleb Duckworth
The tragic death of Kaleb Duckworth has friends and family members calling for justice after the 19-year-old Lumpkin County native died from injuries sustained in a violent altercation outside a Dawsonville Applebee’s last week.
A social media post reportedly led to a fight on the evening of Sunday, July 25 in which Duckworth was punched in the face and knocked unconscious.
That punch was thrown by Daniel Lee Roberts, 20, of Dawson County, according to the Dawson County Sheriff’s Office.
“He punched Kaleb in the face and caused him to hit his head on the ground which caused a laceration to the face and severe brain injury,” said Captain Ray Goodie.
Emergency workers rushed to the scene of the Bethel Drive restaurant after the call went out.
Once the details of the fight were determined deputies tracked down Roberts who was arrested and initially charged with aggravated assault and aggravated battery.
Meanwhile Duckworth was transported to the hospital where the news was grim.
His mother Amanda kept the community updated from his bedside via Facebook. However many in the community came to him, as dozens of friends flooded the waiting room.
“Let me tell you my sweet Kaleb LilDuck Duckworth is loved,” stated Amanda in a Facebook post. “The nurses said they have never seen so many people. He has had over 100 kids come through these doors today. My baby sure has touched some people in his life.”
Duckworth ultimately died two days after the fight. And community members took to local roadsides as they posted signs around Lumpkin County calling for “#JusticeForKalebDuck.”
Following Kaleb’s death, Roberts was also charged with murder.
An open record request to DCSO shows that Roberts had no prior history of violent crime but was arrested in 2019 and charged with reckless driving, carrying a concealed weapon and carrying a concealed weapon during commission of a crime.
Goodie said there is no word yet on whether more charges or arrests could follow.
“It still an ongoing investigation,” he said.
GONE TOO SOON
Funeral services were held for Kaleb Monday evening as cars and trucks lined the road leading to Anderson-Underwood Funeral Home. It was another outpouring of community support for the Duckworth family that prior to that included a prayer vigil at Lake Zwerner and a rowdy “Truck Meet for Duck” that filled the parking lot of the old Dawson Village shopping center on Highway 400. Kaleb’s obituary noted that the avid truck enthusiast entered the streets of gold “probably doing a burnout.”
“Duck will always be remembered as an all-American country boy, someone who was spontaneous, intelligent, and downright goofy at times,” stated the obit, “He had a heart of gold and never had a bad day. The word ‘stranger’ was nowhere to be found in Duck’s vocabulary. If you were fortunate enough to know Duck, you can rest assured that you were loved.”
In his death Kaleb also saved the lives of others, as he was an organ donor.
“His organs have all found homes and he will be saving five people,” stated Amanda. “Five people will keep their lives because of our baby.”
A GoFundMe account has been established to help the family with medical bills and expenses. It can be found at www.gofundme.com/f/supporting-the-duckworth-family.