amtaylor
02-14-2006, 08:16 AM
What do you think? Too harsh... not harsh enough?
Mother charged in death of infant
Asleep, she rolled on girl, police say
Corinne McCarthy is charged with involuntary manslaughter.
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Natalia McCarthy, whose mother was charged Monday in her death, lived just six weeks. Authorities said her life began with cocaine in her blood and ended when her sleeping mother rolled on top of her, smothering her.
Corinne Julianne McCarthy, 29, who lived on Old Faison Road in Knightdale, was arrested by the Wake County Sheriff's Office and charged with involuntary manslaughter and maintaining a dwelling to keep drugs. She was in the Wake County jail Monday night with bail set at $21,000.
"We're actually shocked at the charges; I never expected it," said Nancy McCarthy, Corinne McCarthy's mother. "This girl has been suffering since it's happened."
Natalia died May 4 after McCarthy, who was in the gray, cinder-block home alone, awoke and found the infant was not breathing, court documents say. A gram of marijuana, a joint, a scale and an ashtray with white powder were found in the home, court records show.
The child's birth on March 22, 2005, caught the attention of authorities when cocaine was found in her blood, according to the court papers.
Wake County Child Protective Services began an investigation when Natalia was born, but it was unclear Monday what was done to protect her. State law restricts information that can be released on child abuse and neglect cases.
Warren Ludwig, director of child welfare for Wake County, said he was not allowed to release information about the child. The agency expects to release limited information in coming days, he said.
When she died, Natalia, who was fed formula, had no drugs in her system, said Phyllis Stephens, sheriff's office spokeswoman. Stephens said the sheriff's office consulted with prosecutors from the Wake District Attorney's Office and decided to charge McCarthy because authorities thought the negligence rose to a criminal level.
McCarthy's family in Texas said they had no idea McCarthy, who had a 1994 misdemeanor conviction for breaking and entering, would be charged in her daughter's death.
Corinne McCarthy was on her own when she had Natalia, Nancy McCarthy said. Corinne had lived in the Knightdale area for the past 12 years and worked as a waitress. She was not working during her pregnancy and the weeks after Natalia, her only child, was born.
Nancy McCarthy said she did not believe Natalia was born with cocaine in her system. "They shouldn't have found a speck in that kid," she said.
She added that if Corinne McCarthy did use cocaine, "it wasn't during her pregnancy."
After the girl died, Corinne McCarthy came to Texas to be with family. Discovering that she had returned to Wake County, investigators went to arrest her, Stephens said.
Donnie Wall, 56, a neighbor on the stretch of rural road, said that he did not know McCarthy well and that she had few visitors. She was so thin he had not known she was pregnant, he said. Court papers showed her as 5-foot-9 and 145 pounds when Natalia died.
Wall said he never saw Natalia.
Detectives stayed at the house for hours on the day of the child's death, he said.
"I had a feeling they weren't going to let it go," he said Monday night. "I thought they would have her before now."
He said McCarthy would often be at home when he returned to his own house at the end of the day. She always left her porch light burning when she was in. On Monday night, the house was dark.http://www.newsobserver.com/media/2006/02/14/reg-1186270-741642.embedded.jpg
Mother charged in death of infant
Asleep, she rolled on girl, police say
Corinne McCarthy is charged with involuntary manslaughter.
Story Tools
Printer Friendly Email to a Friend
Enlarge Font Decrease Font
More Crime & Safety
Easley appoints Assistant DA Baddour to fill Barber's seat
Sheriff defends sex in busts
Wife tells of cutting up bodies
Security guard charged in theft of computers
Former inmate faces inquiry
Church fire called arson; 10th in Ala.
Sarah Ovaska, Staff Writer
Natalia McCarthy, whose mother was charged Monday in her death, lived just six weeks. Authorities said her life began with cocaine in her blood and ended when her sleeping mother rolled on top of her, smothering her.
Corinne Julianne McCarthy, 29, who lived on Old Faison Road in Knightdale, was arrested by the Wake County Sheriff's Office and charged with involuntary manslaughter and maintaining a dwelling to keep drugs. She was in the Wake County jail Monday night with bail set at $21,000.
"We're actually shocked at the charges; I never expected it," said Nancy McCarthy, Corinne McCarthy's mother. "This girl has been suffering since it's happened."
Natalia died May 4 after McCarthy, who was in the gray, cinder-block home alone, awoke and found the infant was not breathing, court documents say. A gram of marijuana, a joint, a scale and an ashtray with white powder were found in the home, court records show.
The child's birth on March 22, 2005, caught the attention of authorities when cocaine was found in her blood, according to the court papers.
Wake County Child Protective Services began an investigation when Natalia was born, but it was unclear Monday what was done to protect her. State law restricts information that can be released on child abuse and neglect cases.
Warren Ludwig, director of child welfare for Wake County, said he was not allowed to release information about the child. The agency expects to release limited information in coming days, he said.
When she died, Natalia, who was fed formula, had no drugs in her system, said Phyllis Stephens, sheriff's office spokeswoman. Stephens said the sheriff's office consulted with prosecutors from the Wake District Attorney's Office and decided to charge McCarthy because authorities thought the negligence rose to a criminal level.
McCarthy's family in Texas said they had no idea McCarthy, who had a 1994 misdemeanor conviction for breaking and entering, would be charged in her daughter's death.
Corinne McCarthy was on her own when she had Natalia, Nancy McCarthy said. Corinne had lived in the Knightdale area for the past 12 years and worked as a waitress. She was not working during her pregnancy and the weeks after Natalia, her only child, was born.
Nancy McCarthy said she did not believe Natalia was born with cocaine in her system. "They shouldn't have found a speck in that kid," she said.
She added that if Corinne McCarthy did use cocaine, "it wasn't during her pregnancy."
After the girl died, Corinne McCarthy came to Texas to be with family. Discovering that she had returned to Wake County, investigators went to arrest her, Stephens said.
Donnie Wall, 56, a neighbor on the stretch of rural road, said that he did not know McCarthy well and that she had few visitors. She was so thin he had not known she was pregnant, he said. Court papers showed her as 5-foot-9 and 145 pounds when Natalia died.
Wall said he never saw Natalia.
Detectives stayed at the house for hours on the day of the child's death, he said.
"I had a feeling they weren't going to let it go," he said Monday night. "I thought they would have her before now."
He said McCarthy would often be at home when he returned to his own house at the end of the day. She always left her porch light burning when she was in. On Monday night, the house was dark.http://www.newsobserver.com/media/2006/02/14/reg-1186270-741642.embedded.jpg