Erica Parsons' adoptive mother pleads guilty to murder, child abuse

Casey Parsons, the adoptive mother of slain Rowan County teenager Erica Parsons, pleaded guilty Friday morning to murder and child abuse in the girl’s death.

Casey Parsons entered a guilty plea to all three charges against her -- murder, child abuse and obstruction of justice -- and will spend the rest of her life in prison.

More >> Erica Parsons' adoptive mother pleads guilty to murder, child abuse

Man gets nearly 25 years in attempted murder of DSS worker

Christopher Lee Neal, 44, was found guilty in Alamance County Superior Court for his role a June 2017 shooting targeting a Child Protective Services case worker

More >> Man gets nearly 25 years in attempted murder of DSS worker

Removal of Cherokee County children draws lawsuit, criminal charges possible

Dozens of children in Cherokee County faced unlawful removal from their families until the state stepped in late in 2017, according to state officials and a federal lawsuit from affected families.

Now, the state Department of Justice is considering criminal charges against Cindy Palmer, the Cherokee County Department of Social Service’s former director, and possibly others. At the same time, the plaintiffs’ lawyers in the federal suit are seeking class-action status, alleging a series of rights violations against a potentially substantial number of families who were not identified in the State Bureau of Investigation’s probe of the situation.

More >> Removal of Cherokee County children draws lawsuit, criminal charges possible

Mom says she was threatened by judge for breastfeeding: 'I felt discriminated against'

A North Carolina mom says a judge threatened to put her baby in the custody of Child Protective Services (CPS) because she was breastfeeding in his courtroom.

Local news affiliate WRAL reports that new mom Danielle Bell of Clayton, N.C., appeared in a Johnston County courtroom last week for a case involving her traffic tickets. While she waited to be called, she sat in the back of the courtroom and nursed her 3-month-old daughter, Penelope, who was resting in a sling.

More >> Mom says she was threatened by judge for breastfeeding: 'I felt discriminated against'

Fort Bragg soldier sexually abused adopted children for years, FBI says

A soldier with the U.S. Army adopted six children in 2000 and sexually abused them for years until one daughter reported the abuse in 2017, according to an indictment filed recently in a federal court in North Carolina.

Daniel Kemp and his wife Shanynn Kemp were arrested last year by New York State Police, each charged with several counts of sodomy related to the abuse in Jefferson County, New York, according to police. Daniel Kemp was based at Fort Drum in Jefferson County when he adopted the children, the FBI said in the indictment.

More >> Fort Bragg soldier sexually abused adopted children for years, FBI says

2017 shooting at social worker case upgraded to attempted murder

Christopher Lee Neal, 44, now faces more serious felony charges in Alamance County Superior Court from a 2017 incident when a Rockingham County social worker was shot at

More >> 2017 shooting at social worker case upgraded to attempted murder

Buncombe County couple charged with abusing adopted child

Crystal and Ralph Burrell are charged with abusing their adopted child.

A criminal warrant released after both were arrested Thursday states the child was "denied food," appeared "emaciated" and "wasn't allowed to eat during the holidays because the child was being punished."

More >> Buncombe County couple charged with abusing adopted child

Buncombe County couple charged with abusing adopted child

Crystal and Ralph Burrell are charged with abusing their adopted child.

A criminal warrant released after both were arrested Thursday states the child was "denied food," appeared "emaciated" and "wasn't allowed to eat during the holidays because the child was being punished."

More >> Buncombe County couple charged with abusing adopted child

Former foster parent sentenced to prison on child sex charges

A former Henderson County foster parent is sentenced to more than two years in prison on child sex charges.

Investigators say John Forsberg Jr. sexually abused a foster child in his care.

More >> Former foster parent sentenced to prison on child sex charges

Incarcerated Parents: Why Many Nonviolent Offenders Lose Their Parental Rights

We’ve all heard the stories of family separation at the border, but there’s a different kind of family separation going on that fewer people know about, and it’s playing out all over the country.

Some parents in prison are being completely stripped of their parental rights, even if they are imprisoned on short sentences for non-violent, low-level crimes. Lori Lynn Adams is one of them.

More >> Incarcerated Parents: Why Many Nonviolent Offenders Lose Their Parental Rights

Ex-teacher accused of contacting her foster child after alleged rape

A former middle school teacher in North Carolina accused of having a sexual relationship with her foster child is facing new charges after allegedly reaching out to the boy again on social media, sheriff officials said.

Christina Davis Jolly, 43, of Statesville, was arrested Thursday after violating pretrial release conditions in connection with the five counts of statutory rape of a child she faces following her arrest in August, the Statesville Record & Landmark reports.

More >> Ex-teacher accused of contacting her foster child after alleged rape

Raleigh woman accused of plotting to kidnap daughter from foster care

A North Carolina woman charged last summer with child abuse tried to persuade a friend to abduct her daughter and hide the child in Florida last week, according to an arrest warrant.

Lindsey Michelle Smith, 38, and Russell Jay Smith, 47, were charged this summer with negligent child abuse inflicting serious physical injury and misdemeanor child abuse.

More >> Raleigh woman accused of plotting to kidnap daughter from foster care

In nationwide adoption scam, NC woman admits to scheme involving fake ultrasound, DA says

The scam started to unravel when a couple from Ohio called the police in Carolina Beach, North Carolina, according to WWAY. They told police that they had been sending money to a woman who said she was pregnant and would let them adopt her baby, the television station reports.

Prosecutors say the North Carolina woman posted on adoption websites and social media looking for people who are trying to adopt a baby, according to WECT. She had victims around the country send her money to cover food, housing and doctor appointments, the station reports. But she wasn’t actually pregnant.

More >> In nationwide adoption scam, NC woman admits to scheme involving fake ultrasound, DA says

• North Carolina woman sentenced to 5 years in nationwide pregnancy, adoption scam

Parenthood lost: How incarcerated parents are losing their children forever

Lori Lynn Adams was a mother of four living in poverty when Hurricane Floyd struck North Carolina in 1999, flooding her trailer home and destroying her children’s pageant trophies and baby pictures. No stranger to moneymaking scams, Adams was convicted of filing a fraudulent disaster-relief claim with FEMA for a property she did not own. She also passed dozens of worthless checks to get by.

More >> Parenthood lost: How incarcerated parents are losing their children forever

Kids in Raeford psych center abused, fed so little ‘your stomach will shrink,’ report says

Less than a week after the 9-year-old boy arrived at the Hoke County psychiatric center, the bruises and abrasions started to spread across his body, state documents show.

Before he left Canyon Hills Treatment Facility roughly two weeks later, the boy says, a staff member grabbed him by the shoulder, rubbed spit across his face and kicked him in the groin.

More >> Kids in Raeford psych center abused, fed so little ‘your stomach will shrink,’ report says

Iredell County teacher accused of sexually assaulting foster child

A teacher is accused of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old child living in an Iredell County foster home.

Christina Davis Jolly, 43, faces five counts of felony statutory rape of a child and two counts of felony statutory sex offense with a child 15 years or younger.

More >> Iredell County teacher accused of sexually assaulting foster child

Families in Crisis: DSS training issues put children in danger

A lack of training put more than 100 vulnerable mountain children in risky living situations.

That's what investigators found in the state's takeover of Cherokee's Department of Social Services.

More >> Families in Crisis: DSS training issues put children in danger

Class action against Cherokee County DSS moves to federal court

There are new developments involving the Department of Social Services in Cherokee County.

The class action lawsuit filed against Cherokee County DSS has been moved to federal court.

More >> Class action against Cherokee County DSS moves to federal court

N.C. SBI now investigating Cherokee County Dept. of Social Services

UPATE: The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation is now investigating Cherokee County Department of Social Services.

A declaratory judgement filed in court in Cherokee County, NC show why a judge ruled Custody and Visitation Agreements (CVA) as "void" and illegal.

More >> N.C. SBI now investigating Cherokee County Dept. of Social Services

Hundreds of Children Illegally Removed?

A 38-year-old father and his attorney have managed to uncover an illegal practice so widespread that its exposure could overturn dozens, or even hundreds, of child welfare proceedings in one North Carolina county.

More >> Hundreds of Children Illegally Removed?