Suspect in baby's death raised red flags

Eric Carter had been told not to have unsupervised contact with his children

RALEIGH -- A Raleigh man charged by police last year with killing his 10-month-old daughter had been ordered not to be left alone with his children and was being monitored by child protective authorities before the infant was found dead. That's according to a report made available by Wake County Human Services.

Her father, Eric Brandon Carter Jr., 18, of 312 Colleton Road, is charged with first-degree murder in the death of Tamara Shields. Tamara was found dead in her crib by a young cousin Aug. 27. Tamara died after her liver was lacerated from blunt-force injuries to the abdomen and chest.

"Obviously, we dispute the state's contention that Eric admitted to punching the baby," Carter's attorney, Jeff Cutler of Wendell said Tuesday.

A report made public late last week by Wake County Human Services indicated that a little more than a month before Tamara died, Carter became the custodial parent of his two children. He was 17.

On July 7, Wake County officials were notified by the Harnett County Department of Social Services that Carter's 6-month-old son had been placed in the Colleton Road home where he lived with his grandparents. A Wake County social worker who visited the home on July 10 determined the home was safe. Later that month, Tamara moved into the Colleton Road home with Tashonda Shields, her mother.

But Aug. 5, Wake County's child welfare services was contacted after Tashonda Shields took her daughter to the hospital with a broken left arm.

A hospital report stated that Carter had put Tamara to bed about noon that day. Carter heard a thump and went upstairs to find his child had fallen out of bed. But doctors who examined the child reported that Tamara's injury was not consistent with a fall out of bed. The doctors reported that a certain amount of twisting and pressure likely caused the injury. However, the doctors did not think the injury was the result of abuse.

Cutler said Carter has told police and social workers that he thinks the child's arm got caught between the rungs of the bed.

A Wake County child protective services worker visited the home Aug. 15 and found additional safety features had been installed. The worker, after listening to Carter explain how the child was injured, told him that he was not to have unsupervised contact with his children.

On Aug. 27, child protective services received a report that Tamara was dead.

Cutler questioned the story that Shields told police after the child died. "There were some things she did that day that seemed out of the ordinary," he said.

The autopsy report revealed that the child had several rib fractures, hemorrhages to her scalp and forehead and bruising under both eyes. The autopsy report also indicated scars on the left side of her neck, upper chest, left shoulder, abdomen and right thigh, with no signs that the injuries had been treated.

Cutler said that Tamara lived with her father for no more than a month and that the autopsy report revealed scars that were far older.

"It's not my position to point the finger at anybody," Cutler said. "But at some point when the case goes to trial, those questions need to be brought up."

Although she has not been charged, Tashonda Shields is represented by Raleigh lawyer Larry Height, who was hired by her family several days after Tamara died. Height referred all questions to the Wake County District Attorney's Office.

Carter's next court appearance is July 21, his attorney said.