ASHEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA: Nickolas Shane Stephenson and Diandra Fuhr-Farlow of Buncombe County have been charged with first-degree murder in the death of their infant child.
Shocking details have emerged from court filings in connection to the case of the newborn who was murdered on June 28, 2022, reported Law and Crime.
What happened to Nickolas Stephenson and Diandra Fuhr-Farlow's child?
Buncombe County officials responded to a 911 call at around 2.30 pm from Farlow's Big Wheel Drive home in Asheville, North Carolina, after she reported her newborn was unresponsive, according to a search warrant from the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office.
After the first responders arrived, the two-month-old girl was taken to the Mission Hospital after Emergency Services took life-saving measures.
However, the child died at the facility and a doctor determined that the newborn who appeared to be dehydrated was severely injured.
As per court documents, she had several burn marks around her face, several broken ribs, a broken left clavicle, and a broken right arm.
Nickolas Stephenson once attempted to choke the child
Revealing disturbing details of how the newborn was being treated at home, Farlow said the victim's father Stephenson would hold the child by her legs and make her cry after he moved her legs "back and forth."
She also told detectives the victim also cried when the 35-year-old man held her by the feet and shook her.
"Ms Fuhr-Farlow explained an incident where she observed Mr Stephenson choking the victim child," read the investigator's statement in the search warrant.
Why were charges against Nickolas Stephenson and Diandra Fuhr-Farlow upgraded to first-degree murder?
Stephenson was initially charged with negligent child abuse inflicting serious bodily injury and second-degree murder while Farlow was charged with felonious child abuse inflicting serious bodily injury.
However, their charges were upgraded a month later to first-degree murder. About a month later, their charges were upgraded to first-degree murder.
In a news statement issued from the sheriff's office, Major John Ledford stated, "Based on the totality of the facts from our investigation, including the findings from the preliminary autopsy and after consultation with the district attorney, we have upgraded the charges against the parents of Riley."
Where are Nickolas Stephenson and Diandra Fuhr-Farlow currently held?
The parents of the two-month-old child, who are facing possible life sentences, are held without bond in the Buncombe County Detention Facility.
Jack Stewart, the defense attorney, said in a motion for a bond hearing submitted on September 13 that Farlow "has been deprived of her liberty for an entire year with no imminent trial date or reasonable connection to the instant crime(s) based upon discovery provided by the State."
