How Could You? Hall of Shame-Vincent Carter case-Child Death

This will be an archive of heinous actions by those involved in child welfare, foster care and adoption. We forewarn you that these are deeply disturbing stories that may involve sex abuse, murder, kidnapping and other horrendous actions.

From Chattanooga, Tennessee, foster child Vincent Carter,23 months, died on September 13, 2021. “A medical examiner report we obtained showed the baby died of multiple blunt force trauma wounds to the head and neck.

On Monday [November 8, 2021], police issued an arrest warrant after discovering the child’s foster mother had made misleading statements to them.

That same day, they found the foster mother Deborah Barnes, 62, dead from what they believe to be suicide.

Now the child’s biological family is demanding accountability. They say they have any unanswered questions about how and why this happened.

“He wasn’t even two-years-old, what could a one year old do to make you hurt them like that?” asked Vincent Carter’s grandmother Janie Carter.

Hamilton County’s medical examiner ruled 2-year-old Vincent Carter’s death a homicide.

The Medical Examiner report says Carter was admitted to the hospital with head trauma, and died from a brain hemorrhage and anoxic brain injury, meaning he lacked oxygen to his brain.

“When my grandson got to the emergency room. There was no brain activity. There was no blood flow going to the brain,” says Janie Carter.

“My baby was on a ventilator. It was breathing for him,” said Vincent Carter’s Mother, Eriyuan Carter.”

“A CPD arrest warrant says Barnes told police Vincent was eating and choking on a hair product when she realized he was unresponsive.

That arrest report shows ICU doctor never found evidence of this, instead doctors told police the 2 year old had extreme swelling and bleeding in his brain.

Police said Barnes’ statement were misleading. They charged Barnes with criminal homicide, child abuse, and neglect.

The same day police issued their warrants they found Barnes with a gunshot wound to the head in an apparent suicide.”

“Eriyuan Carter tells us she visited the children twice a month while they were under Deborah Barnes custody.

During this time Eriyuan says she complained of bruises and scratches on her children.”

“The Department of Children Services (DCS) released a statement saying Deborah Barnes was approved as a foster parent in 2009.

Since then, Barnes has fostered 44 children as a foster parent through Omni Visions, which provides therapeutic care for children in state custody.”

Chattanooga family of 2-year-old boy who died in foster care demanding accountability
[News Channel 9 11/10/21 by Sabrina Maggiore]

REFORM Puzzle Piece