Tamla Horsford: A sleepover party, a backyard discovery, and questions that still linger

The Night of the Party

On the evening of November 3, 2018, Tamla Horsford, a 40 year old mother of five, attended a birthday sleepover party at a private home in Forsyth County.

Tamla was invited by a neighbor and arrived at the gathering that night. The party was described by attendees as a casual adult sleepover involving alcohol, conversation, and socializing. Tamla was the only Black woman present at the gathering.

As the evening went on, guests drank, talked, and eventually began settling in for the night. According to witness statements, Tamla was last seen alive during the early morning hours of November 4, 2018.

Hours later, she would be found unresponsive in the backyard.

The Discovery in the Backyard

At approximately 8:58 a.m., one of the homeowners called 911 after discovering Tamla’s body in the backyard near the base of a raised deck.

First responders arrived at the scene and pronounced her dead. Investigators observed that Tamla was lying face down. She was not breathing and had visible injuries.

Authorities later stated that Tamla had fallen from the deck above, striking the ground below.

From the beginning, investigators treated the incident as a possible accidental fall.

Autopsy Findings and Toxicology

An autopsy was performed by the Forsyth County Medical Examiner’s Office.

The official findings were as follows:

• Cause of death: blunt force trauma to the head and neck

• Manner of death: accident

A toxicology report was also conducted.

Tamla Horsford’s blood alcohol concentration was reported at approximately 0.238 percent, which is nearly three times the legal driving limit in Georgia.

No drugs were listed as a primary cause of death in official summaries. Alcohol was the only substance emphasized in the toxicology results.

Investigators cited the alcohol level as a factor supporting the conclusion that Tamla may have fallen accidentally from the deck.

The Immediate Ruling

Within days, authorities announced there would be no criminal charges filed.

The death was ruled an accidental fall, and the case was closed.

However, for Tamla’s family and many members of the public, the ruling raised more questions than it answered.

Questions and Public Concern

Public scrutiny of the case intensified due to several factors.

First, conflicting witness accounts were reported regarding who last saw Tamla alive and where she was located during the early morning hours.

Second, critics questioned whether the scene was handled thoroughly, noting that no full reconstruction was publicly detailed.

Third, many were troubled by how quickly the case was ruled accidental despite the seriousness of the injuries.

The racial dynamics of the case also became part of the national conversation. Tamla was the only Black woman at the gathering, and the incident occurred in a county that has historically been predominantly white.

Online petitions, social media campaigns, and public demonstrations called for an independent review of the investigation.

Independent Reviews and Re Examinations

Due to public pressure, the case underwent additional scrutiny.

In 2019, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation reviewed the findings. After examining the evidence, the GBI stated that it found no evidence of foul play and upheld the original ruling.

In 2021, the case was reviewed again, this time by a special prosecutor appointed to examine whether charges should be pursued.

Once again, the conclusion remained the same. No criminal charges were filed, and the manner of death stayed classified as accidental.

Despite these reviews, public debate did not fade.

What Is Known and What Is Disputed

Certain facts in the Tamla Horsford case are confirmed and documented:

• She attended a sleepover party on November 3, 2018

• She was found unresponsive in the backyard the following morning

• An autopsy confirmed blunt force trauma to the head and neck

• Her blood alcohol level was approximately 0.238 percent

• Her death was officially ruled an accident

At the same time, questions remain matters of public concern, not established fact:

• The exact sequence of events leading to her fall

• Inconsistencies in witness timelines

• Whether all investigative steps met public expectations

It is important to separate verified findings from speculation. While concerns persist, no authority has determined that a crime occurred.

Why the Case Still Resonates

Years later, the name Tamla Horsford continues to surface in discussions about justice, accountability, and trust in investigations.

For many, the case represents broader fears about what happens when questions are left unanswered, especially in situations involving race, social dynamics, and closed door gatherings.

For her family, it represents a life lost and a search for clarity that has never fully ended.

Remembering Tamla Horsford

Tamla Horsford was more than a headline. She was a mother of five, a wife, and a friend. Her death has become part of a national conversation not because of what is known, but because of what remains unclear to so many.

The official case may be closed, but public interest endures.

As with many strange and disputed deaths, the questions continue to linger long after the investigation ends.