NC Lawmakers Blast Child Welfare Officials Over 6-Year-Old’s Death
Lawmakers grilled officials over the death of Dominique Moody, who weighed just 27 pounds when found in a dog crate despite 13 abuse reports to authorities.
RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA — State lawmakers delivered scathing criticism to child welfare officials Thursday over the death of six-year-old Dominique Moody, who died in December 2025 weighing just 27 pounds after years of abuse and starvation while living in Charlotte. Investigators found the child in a dog crate following what officials described as horrific maltreatment.
During a daylong hearing before the N.C. House Oversight Committee, members questioned how Mecklenburg County’s child welfare system failed to protect Moody despite 13 reported allegations of abuse or neglect over the years. Three caregivers, including Dominique’s legal guardian, face multiple charges including felony child abuse and first-degree murder.
Pattern of Failures Exposed
Rep. Allen Chesser, who serves as a foster parent, expressed visible anger during the proceedings. “There’s a pattern here. A child dies and the Department of Health and Human Services investigates, finds a lack of oversight, poor decision-making, and poor management,” said Chesser (R-Nash). “The local Child Protective Services Office is put on a corrective action plan and the state takes over for a little while, but fundamentally, nothing changes.”
Committee members learned that at one point during Dominique’s case, a caseworker who documented signs of abuse recommended the girl’s removal from the household. However, the caseworker was overruled by a supervisor, and referrals to other agencies were never followed up on.
Widespread Systemic Problems Identified
Lisa Tucker Cauley, the NC Department of Health and Human Services Director for Child and Family Support, acknowledged to legislators that the review of Dominique’s case revealed serious problems within Mecklenburg County’s Department of Social Services child welfare practice. The investigation found numerous violations of state law, rule and policy.
A broader examination of the county’s child welfare system uncovered alarming deficiencies. Officials reviewed 58 sample cases in Mecklenburg County and discovered that in 52% of cases, intake workers failed to ask sufficient questions to explore alleged maltreatment.
The review also found that in 36% of cases containing allegations that met the criminal definition of child abuse, case files did not contain required notification to law enforcement or the district attorney’s office, representing another significant violation of protocol.
Ongoing Investigation and Accountability
The hearing highlighted broader concerns about North Carolina’s child protective services system and its ability to safeguard vulnerable children. Lawmakers pressed officials on what measures would be implemented to prevent similar tragedies from occurring in the future.
The criminal case against Dominique’s caregivers remains ongoing, with prosecutors pursuing first-degree murder charges in addition to felony child abuse counts. The case has drawn attention to gaps in communication and oversight within the state’s child welfare network.
State officials indicated that corrective action plans would be developed for Mecklenburg County’s Department of Social Services, though lawmakers expressed skepticism about whether such measures would produce lasting change given the pattern of previous failures across the state.
