Three-month-old Malachi Alfred Maurice Tate, Jr. was brought to Cherokee Medical Center in Gaffney, South Carolina on March 18, 2023, by his father, Malachi Alfred Maurice Tate, after being found unresponsive in their apartment. The father initially claimed the injuries resulted from a fall two days earlier. The baby was resuscitated and airlifted to Greenville Children's Hospital, where he underwent treatment before dying on Wednesday. The coroner determined that the child had multiple areas of injuries inconsistent with a fall and stated the fatal injuries were "no doubt from abuse," adding that the child "may have been tortured." The father was arrested and charged with abuse/inflicting great bodily injury upon a child, with charges being upgraded following the child's death.
Contexts/Conditions
Is there any mention of child drug ingestion or overdose?
Is there any mention of a drowning incident (either intentional or accidental)?
Is there any mention of a firearm incident?
Is there any mention of inappropriate supervision (e.g., child wandered off and drowned)?
Is there any mention of inflicted injury? (e.g. slapped, punched, kicked, choked)
Both articles describe fatal injuries from abuse inflicted on the infant. The WSPA article quotes Coroner Fowler: "The fatal injuries on this infant are no doubt from abuse." The FOX Carolina article states the child had "multiple areas of injuries on his body that are not consistent with a fall." The father was charged with "abuse/inflicting great bodily injury upon a child," which explicitly indicates inflicted injury.
Is there any mention of malnutrition, starvation, or dehydration?
Is there any mention of medical neglect?
Is there any mention of a motor vehicle crash or incident?
Is there any mention of a murder-suicide incident?
Is there any mention of outdoor elements (including hot car deaths)?
Is there any mention of prenatal substance exposure (including fetal alcohol syndrome or neonatal abstinence syndrome)?
Is there any mention of sexual abuse?
Is there any specific mention of shaken baby or abusive head trauma?
Is there any mention of prolonged abuse or torture (including restraints, captivity)?
The FOX Carolina article quotes Coroner Dennis Fowler as stating: "It appears this child may have been tortured and it makes me sick to my stomach that a helpless infant has suffered and lost his life at the hands of someone who had a total disregard for a human." The headline also references that the child "may have been tortured." The use of the word "tortured" by the coroner, combined with the description of "multiple areas of injuries," suggests prolonged, deliberately cruel treatment, though the hedging language ("may have been") prevents full certainty.
Is there any mention of an unsafe sleeping environment?
Individuals Involved
Was an adoptive parent or guardian involved in the death?
Was a biological father involved in the death?
Both articles identify the suspect as the child's father, Malachi Alfred Maurice Tate. The child shares his father's full name as "Malachi Alfred Maurice Tate, Jr.," which strongly indicates a biological father-son relationship. The WSPA article states: "the father, Malachi Alfred Maurice Tate, initially reported [a fall]." The FOX Carolina article states: "The child's father, Malachi Tate, was arrested on Wednesday and charged with abuse/inflicting great bodily injury upon a child."
Was a biological mother involved in the death?
Was a day care worker, babysitter, or nanny involved in the death?
Was a female paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., girlfriend, stepmother)?
Was a foster parent involved in the death?
Was a male paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., boyfriend, stepfather)?
Was another adult relative involved in the death? (e.g., grandfather, aunt)
Was a sibling involved in the death?
Child Characteristics
Was the child adopted?
Was the child homeschooled (including "cyberschooling") or taken out of school?
Was the child in foster care at the time of the incident?
Was the child living with relatives at the time of the incident (but not parents)?
Is there any mention of a neurological developmental child disability? (e.g., autism, intellectual disability, nonverbal)
Is there any mention of a physical child disability? (e.g., feeding tube)
Is there any mention of prematurity or low birthweight?
Is there a history of child protection reports prior to death (for this child or siblings)?
Does the child have a history of foster care (but not in care at time of incident)?
Is there a history of a sibling death (separate incident from this death)?
Parent/Caregiver Factors
Was an adult charged or arrested for the child's death?
Both articles confirm the father was charged. The WSPA article states: "Tate was originally charged with abuse/inflicting great bodily injury upon a child" and notes "the police department is in the process of upgrading charges against him." The FOX Carolina article states: "The child's father, Malachi Tate, was arrested on Wednesday and charged with abuse/inflicting great bodily injury upon a child."
Is domestic violence by the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is there any mention that the death occurred in a temporary shelter or while homeless?
Is an intellectual disability of the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is the mental health of the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is a history of arrests or criminal charges for the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is substance use by the parent/caregiver referenced?
These fields were populated by an AI model and may contain inaccuracies. Review the links and PDFs provided for verification before citing. Contact [email protected] to report any inaccuracies where corrections are needed.