CHARLOTTE, NC – Three women have been charged with first-degree murder in the death of a 6-year-old girl whose body showed signs of prolonged abuse and neglect, according to authorities in Mecklenburg County.

Susan Robinson, 61, Tonya McKnight, 51, and Tery’n McKnight, 22, face accusations tied to the December 2025 death of Dominique Moody. The trio had previously been arrested last year on charges of intentional child abuse leading to severe injury, as well as multiple counts of misdemeanor child abuse.

Officials say police responded to a home on Gwynne Hill Road in Charlotte on the morning of Dec. 16, where they found Dominique unresponsive. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Law enforcement described the child as appearing malnourished and unkempt, noting that her hair, nails, and body were dirty and that she suffered from numerous open wounds and scars in different stages of healing.

Investigators allege that over the course of more than a year, Dominique was systematically abused and neglected. According to charging documents, she was often denied food, forced to watch others eat, and made to remain in soiled diapers for extended periods. At the time of her death, Dominique weighed just 27 pounds.

Authorities allege that Tonya McKnight was responsible for binding and wrapping the girl with duct tape and plastic wrap in several instances, sometimes documenting the abuse on her cellphone. The child’s mistreatment reportedly included being confined in a dog crate or left on a bathroom floor soiled with feces.

Court documents reveal that Robinson and Tery’n McKnight failed to intervene or seek help despite being aware of the circumstances. All three women lived in the residence with Dominique and four other children, ranging in age from 1 to 5. Officials have not released the conditions or current whereabouts of the other children.

Descriptions of the home depict a grim environment. Officers found the residence in a state of severe disrepair, with the children living among rats and cockroaches and often enduring cold temperatures due to limited heating. The only sources of warmth available were an oven and two space heaters, which police say were inadequate during periods when nighttime lows dropped to 20 degrees.

Court records indicate the level of deprivation was well-known to the adults present. At least one child recalled Dominique being placed in front of the stove to warm her when she was unresponsive, in what appeared to be desperate attempts to revive her.

In the aftermath of Dominique’s death, investigators uncovered messages exchanged between Robinson and Tonya McKnight discussing their legal jeopardy and efforts to clean the home. Medical examiners documented a lengthy list of injuries on Dominique, including healed scars, open wounds, burns, a previously fractured pinky toe, and multiple rib fractures.

On Thursday, Judge Cecilia Oseguera of Mecklenburg District Court ordered all three women held without bond. The investigation remains ongoing as prosecutors prepare for trial and authorities continue to review the welfare of the other children who lived at the residence.