Gatlinburg Couple Charged with Murder in Toddler’s Death

The parents of a toddler found dead inside a vehicle at a Gatlinburg home earlier this month now face felony murder, child abuse and child neglect charges.

A joint investigation by Special Agents with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and the Gatlinburg Police Department has resulted in the indictment of 26-year-old Anthony D. Phillips and 24-year-old Jade E. Phillips in connection with the death of their child.

Gatlinburg police officers and paramedics from the Gatlinburg Fire Department responded to a 911 call just before 2 p.m. on Friday, July 14, 2017 reporting that a child had been left in a vehicle overnight at a home on Laurel Avenue in Gatlinburg. Upon arrival, they determined the child was deceased.

Jade and Anthony Phillips reside at the home, which belongs to Jerry Kirkman, father of Jade Phillips and mayor of Westmoreland, Tenn.

At the request of 4th District Attorney General James Dunn, TBI Special Agents joined the Gatlinburg Police Department in investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of 2-year-old Kipp Phillips. During the course of the investigation, agents developed information leading to the child’s parents as the individuals responsible for his death.

On Monday, the Sevier County Grand Jury returned indictments charging Jade and Anthony Phillips each with two counts of First Degree Murder, one count of Aggravated Child Abuse and one count of Aggravated Child Neglect. TBI Agents, with the assistance of the Sumner County Sheriff’s Office, arrested the couple without incident at a home in Westmoreland, Tenn. Both were booked into the Sumner County Jail where they are being held on a $250,000 bond.