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Baby allegedly beaten by father will not be taken off life support

Dinah Paige Whited receives a kiss from her maternal grandmother, Paige Cason-Barrett, Wednesday night at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta at Egleston. The AJC was in Dinah's room with the permission of Paige Cason-Barrett. (Craig Schneider/AJC)

WALTON COUNTY, Ga. — A baby in the middle of a legal fight over her care will not be taken off life support Thursday after a final test showed the 5-month-old still has blood flow to her brain.

Dinah Paige Whited has been in the hospital since police say her father severely beat her three months ago.

Dinah was just 2 months old when she was put on life support, and since that moment both sides of the family have been fighting over what to do next. The father did not want Dinah taken off life support. The mother's side of the family said there was no hope, and it was time to let her go.

Dinah has been in the Pediatric ICU breathing only with tubes for months

“They did the study last night, another brain test, and it showed there was no activity,” Dinah’s grandmother, Kimberlee Page, said.

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Thursday, the hospital did a final series of testing to see if Dinah will breathe on her own. Her grandparents thought this would be the end of the battle.

“It's hard just watching, knowing what the end is going to be,” Page said.

Page’s son, Justin Whited, is accused of harming Dinah. He's in jail on child cruelty and aggravated battery charges. Dinah’s mom, Jamie Whited, has also been charged with child cruelty.

Page told Channel 2’s Liz Artz that her son was a good father and she looks forward to his day in court, where she says his side will finally be told.

"He’s a good father. He loves his children,” she said. “It’s been a nightmare.” %

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The other set of grandparents accused Justin of wanting to keep Dinah on life support so he would not face a murder charge.

Page says that’s not true.

“He just wants to see his daughter,” she said.

Neither Justin nor Jamie Whited has been allowed to visit Dinah through the process. The sheriff told Artz he would not bring the parents here without a court order.

Jamie Whited does not have a bond. She's being held on unrelated drug charges out of Hall County. Justin Whited was granted a bond, but has not bonded out of jail.

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