Inset, left to right: Katherine Carter and Trevor Reichard-Hayes (Tell City Police Dept.). Background: The area in Indiana where the toddler died (Google Maps).
A 39-year-old man and his 31-year-old wife in Indiana are accused of killing a 2-year-old boy in their care, who authorities say was starved so severely that he is believed to have ingested pieces of the wall as well as diapers before his death.
Trevor Reichard-Hayes and Katherine Carter were arrested last week in connection with the death of 2-year-old Erik Reichard, authorities announced. Each is charged with murder, neglect of a dependent resulting in death, neglect of a dependent resulting in serious bodily injury, and neglect of a dependent.
The relationship between the couple and the child was not immediately clear.
According to a news release from the Tell City Police Department, officers responded around 1:19 p.m. on March 31 to a home in the 100 block of Guttenberg Lane regarding a 911 call about an unresponsive child. Upon arriving, first responders attempted lifesaving measures, but the boy was pronounced dead at the scene.
Investigators remained at the residence for “an extended period” as they launched a joint investigation with multiple agencies, including the Perry County Coroner”s Office and Indiana Department of Child Services. Two additional children were removed from the home as part of that probe, authorities said.
Court documents obtained by Evansville, Indiana, NBC affiliate WFIE provided additional alleged details about the circumstances of Erik’s death, including that Reichard-Hayes placed the 911 call, telling the dispatcher that Carter had found the child unresponsive.
Authorities said the parents had not seen their son alive since 11 p.m. the previous evening, about 14 hours before the call for help was placed. Based on his condition, it was believed that Erik had likely been dead for several hours by the time help arrived.
Police and court documents paint a disturbing picture of the conditions inside the home. Officers observed feces on the floor in children’s bedrooms, along with drywall debris, paint chips, dirt, and pieces of soiled diapers scattered throughout. Insects were also found throughout the residence.
The toddler himself appeared “extremely skinny” and malnourished, with more than 40 sores or bug bites covering his body, according to WFIE. He weighed only about 15 pounds — about half of what would be expected for a boy of his age and size, investigators said.
An autopsy later revealed the child had ingested materials consistent with drywall, paint chips, or spackling, as well as substances found in diapers, according to Evansville ABC affiliate WEHT. Authorities believe the boy likely resorted to eating those items out of hunger. The exam did not show any evidence of physical abuse.
Carter allegedly told investigators the child had been eating his diapers, which officers reportedly suspected was due to severe malnourishment.
Additional details from the investigation reportedly indicate that one child’s room contained a training toilet filled with feces and urine that had not been cleaned for days or weeks, while another’s bedroom doorknob had been reversed, allowing the parents to lock the child inside the room.
Despite the conditions in the rest of the home, investigators noted that the adults’ bedroom was clean, according to reports.
Authorities said the investigation remains ongoing.
