Durham woman charged with murdering child found ‘incapable to proceed’ in case
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Durham police found two unresponsive children at a Grove Park address.
- One child died at the hospital, but police haven’t said how they were injured.
- A person of interest was identified, but no arrests have been made yet.
This story was updated April 16, 2026.
A Durham woman charged with murdering one of her children and trying to kill another was found “incapable to proceed” in the case during a court hearing Thursday.
Police were called to Chartwell Court in East Durham’s Grove Park neighborhood about 5:25 p.m. Feb. 12, according to a news release. Police found two “unresponsive small children,” who were both taken to the hospital, where one of them died, it stated.
Andrea Morgan Faust, 41, is charged with first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder, police said. She was booked into the Durham County jail without bail.
One of the children, thought to be 3 or 4 years old, went into cardiac arrest, according to police radio traffic. The other child, about 2 years old, was unresponsive with a slight pulse.
“We have a suspect that ran from us,” an officer radioed at 5:37 p.m. “I didn’t know if she was involved. She ran behind the house when I pulled up, so, probably going towards the lake.”
Faust was later identified over the air as the suspect.
A 40-year-old female, presumably Faust, was also taken to the hospital, radio traffic indicated.
Suicide attempt
In court Thursday, the Durham County District Attorney’s Office said Faust is being treated at Central Regional Hospital, a state psychiatric hospital in Butner.
Faust was found hoarding Tylenol pills last month, according to ABC11, The News & Observer’s newsgathering partner. She said she was keeping the pills for a future suicide attempt.
Faust was ruled a danger to herself and ordered to undergo intenstive psychiatric care after the incident, the station reported.
Court documents reveal Faust tried to kill herself four days after her arrest while being held in the Durham County jail. That attempt caused bone and spine fractures requiring surgery, ABC11 reported.
A LinkedIn profile appearing to be Faust’s identified her as a dental hygiene instructor at Guilford Technical Community College. She grew up in the Sanford area, according to newspaper clippings.
The Durham County DA’s office is scheduled to give another update on the case before a judge on July 16.
This story was originally published February 13, 2026 at 7:57 AM.
