Three women in Charlotte were charged with first‑degree murder after 6‑year‑old Dominique Moody was found dead on Dec. 16, 2025. Medical staff said Dominique weighed just 27 pounds and showed signs of severe neglect and multiple injuries. Investigators reported unsanitary conditions, allegations she was kept in a dog crate, and prior welfare contacts to the home. A judge denied bond for all three defendants as the investigation and prosecution continue.
Three Charged With First‑Degree Murder After 6‑Year‑Old Dominique Moody Found Emaciated and Allegedly Kept in a Dog Crate
Susan Robinson, Tonya McKnight and Tery'n McKnightThe Mecklenburg County Sheriff
Charlotte, N.C. — Three women who lived in the same Charlotte home have been charged with first‑degree murder and multiple counts of child abuse after 6‑year‑old Dominique Moody was found dead and severely malnourished in December 2025.
What Happened
Officers responded to a 911 call at about 7:40 a.m. on Dec. 16, 2025, to a residence at 7608 Gwynne Hill Road after a caller reported a child was not breathing. Dominique was transported to a local hospital and pronounced dead at 9:29 a.m., according to an affidavit obtained by PEOPLE.
Allegations and Injuries
Hospital staff told investigators Dominique weighed just 27 pounds at the time of her death. Medical personnel documented multiple injuries and signs of prolonged neglect, including what appeared to be healed ligature marks on the arms and legs, several broken bones, open wounds (one consistent with a burn), and sores around the genital and buttock areas consistent with long exposure to soiled diapers.
7608 Gwynne Hill Road in Charlotte, N.C.google maps
“The victim’s hair, nails and body were dirty,” investigators wrote in the affidavit, which also described an unsanitary home environment.
Officers reported the residence was extremely unkempt, with a strong odor of feces and urine, visible rats inside the home, and an apparent lack of centralized heating during sub‑zero winter nights. Four other children are reported to have lived at the address.
Evidence and Prior Contacts
According to the affidavit, two of the adults — identified in arrest records as Susan Robinson, 61, and Tonya McKnight, 51 — exchanged text messages in November 2025 that included photos alleged to show Dominique restrained with duct tape. The messages also suggested she was regularly denied food despite food being available in the home. The third arrested adult is Tery'n McKnight, 22.
Investigators say children interviewed at the residence reported Dominique was often kept in a dog crate. Records indicate law enforcement and child‑welfare professionals had visited the home nearly 50 times over prior years, and social workers received five reports of suspected abuse or neglect.
Police vehicle (stock image)getty
Legal Proceedings
All three women were initially charged with multiple counts of child abuse after arrests in late December 2025. Local prosecutors upgraded the charges to first‑degree murder on Feb. 4, 2026, according to court filings cited by WBTV and PEOPLE. Mecklenburg District Court Judge Cecilia Oseguera denied bond for all three defendants on Feb. 5, 2026.
Attorneys for Robinson, Tonya McKnight and Tery'n McKnight did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The Charlotte‑Mecklenburg Police Department also did not immediately comment.
Resources
If you suspect child abuse, contact the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1‑800‑4‑A‑Child (1‑800‑422‑4453) or visit www.childhelp.org. Calls are toll‑free, confidential, available 24/7 and offered in more than 170 languages.
Reported details are based on police affidavits and court records cited by PEOPLE, WBTV and Law&Crime. The accused are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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