The parents of a two-year-old boy who died from neglect in Indiana have been arrested and charged with murder after an autopsy revealed the child had eaten drywall and nappy scraps. Erik Reichard was found dead at his home in Tell City on 31 March, weighing just 15 pounds—half the healthy weight for his age.
Police were called after the parents, Trevor Reichard-Hayes, 39, and Katherine Carter, 31, noticed the boy had stopped breathing and dialled 999. They said they had last seen him alive at 11 p.m. the previous evening, nearly 14 hours before summoning help. Emergency responders attempted CPR, but Erik was pronounced dead at the scene.
A detective noted in the probable cause affidavit that the child had been dead for several hours, was “extremely skinny”, and covered in sores and possible bug bites. An autopsy found a “gel-like substance” and white material consistent with paint flakes or spackling in his colon. The mother admitted Erik had been eating nappies, which investigators attributed to hunger.
Two other children were found living in squalor at the property. Both were removed by child services, and one was hospitalised for severe malnutrition and dehydration. The children’s rooms had faeces and debris on the floor, unemptied training potties, and insects, while the parents’ room was clean and well furnished.
Reichard-Hayes and Carter were arrested three days later and charged with murder, neglect of a dependent resulting in death, neglect of a dependent resulting in serious bodily harm, and neglect of a dependent. Tell City Police Department said in a statement: “Scenes such as these are extremely difficult for the officers, first responders, and partner agencies involved.”
