How Could You? Hall of Shame-Dominique Moody case-Child Death UPDATED

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 Charlotte, North Carolina, foster parent Tonya McKnight  and along with two other women have been charged in the death of Dominique Moody, 6, on December 16, 2025.

“When investigators went through the east Charlotte home after the girl’s death in December, they detailed horrific allegations in court records of a life lived in dog cages, bound and tortured, without food.

She weighed far less than the minimum acceptable weight for a child who was nearly 7 years old.

But a sweeping WBTV investigation has uncovered how the child’s home was well known to authorities long before Dominique died.

Numerous records obtained by WBTV detail nearly 50 visits from authorities to the troubled home in the years leading up to Dominique’s death – most of which have not been reported to the public before now.

A distant relative runs the funeral home where the child is being embalmed. J. Vernon Peterson didn’t know Dominique existed until family reached out for his help in her death.

Presented with the findings of WBTV’s investigation and his agency having embalmed the body, he didn’t mince words.”

“Police, however, had visited the property numerous times, and the record also indicates teachers had expressed concerns about the younger sister’s poor odor and hygiene at school. Dominique herself, at almost 7, had never been enrolled in school.”

“In each CPS report, the record says YFS investigated and did not find sufficient evidence to confirm the allegations. Each case was closed, the court record said. The children were left in the home.

The Mecklenburg County Department of Social Services declined a request for an interview. A spokesperson emailed simply that “removal of a child is dependent on a number of factors that are specific to a case.”

The investigations are undated in the court record. But Dominique’s body was covered in both old and new injuries at the time of her death, according to court records as well as the licensed mortician who is embalming her body,

“This little one struggled to survive,” said Atravis Powell Sr., mortician at Unity Funeral Services in Fayetteville. Based on healing and scar tissue factors, he believes some of the marks, scars and injuries on her body are four to five years old.””

“Dominique’s younger sister, who just turned 6 years old, would later tell investigators that Dominique would “stay in a cage” with rats, and that the women in the home would tie her up with black tape “all the time,” whip her, and her body would become swollen.

The three women charged in her death denied her food, despite there being food in the home, investigators have also alleged. Court records say Dominique was forced to sit in soiled, feces-filled diapers for days that led to severe rashes and injuries in sensitive areas on her body.

Dominique and her younger sister had been placed with Tonya McKnight in December of 2019, with a judge officially transferring custody from their mother to Tonya two years later. McKnight was a relative of the children’s mother, who court records said struggled with addiction and other issues.”

“Now, social workers are moving to have Dominique’s younger sister placed back with her biological mother, Ikea McKnight, who spoke with WBTV on Monday, Jan. 12.

“My baby needs justice,” Ikea McKnight said. “Shouldn’t no child have to get put into the system and have to worry about who’s going to properly take care of them.”

When asked if she had called police over the years with concerns for the children, she said she had.

Records obtained by WBTV showed she was telling the truth.”

Police, social workers called to Charlotte home dozens of times before child’s horrific death
[WBTV 1/13/26 by Naomi Kowles]

REFORM Puzzle Piece

Update:“At Dominique Moody’s funeral, Democratic state Rep. Mike Colvin told WBTV that he believed legislation was needed to address the gaps that reporting had uncovered.

He was one of four initial lawmakers to put their name on a bill in Dominique Moody’s name a few months later, a bill that has now added numerous additional sponsors and appears primed to continue moving through the General Assembly this summer.

“I commend you for remaining attentive to this story and to the case of Dominique Moody,” Colvin said.

State Rep. Allen Chesser (R-Nash County) sits on the House Select Committee on Oversight and Reform. He has helped lead an ongoing probe into both Mecklenburg County Department of Social Service and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department.”

“State House Bill 1144 would create a child welfare case escalation team under the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.

The team would get involved in decision-making for children at a regional level when a child had an extensive history of reports or other complicating factors.

Right now, counties hold that authority alone.

“I think that would give some relief. I know they’re under pressure to perform,” said Rep. Carla Cunningham, who previously represented Mecklenburg County as a Democrat and is now unaffiliated.

The bill would require counties to escalate cases to this new regional team when presented with Child Protective Services reports for children with one of the following:

• • Extensive child welfare history.
  • Three or more reports to CPS in a 12-month time period.
  • Past foster care history.
  • Three or more substantiated findings involving the family that demonstrate pattern of neglect.
  • Repeated reports of medical neglect.

The bill would also introduce other elements of state oversight to county social services departments across North Carolina, and would appropriate more than a half-million dollars to create the team.

The regional team would consist of one person per five state regions, alongside a supervisor. If there’s a disagreement between the county and the regional team about whether a case should be screened in or out, Cunningham said the regional team would take the lead.”

““A common factor that we see in these investigations is a lack of oversight and a lack of review in some of the decision making that’s occurring at the county level,” he said.”

“The bill has cleared an initial floor vote, been sent to committee, and added numerous sponsors on both sides of the aisle. Those include most of Mecklenburg County’s House representatives since it was filed in the General Assembly on April 30, 2026.”

Inside the North Carolina child safety bill filed after months of WBTV reporting on 6-year-old’s death
[WBTV 5/19/26 by Namoi Kowles]