unnamed boy
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CANDID ID: NC_22_1292
AGE
1   year
STATE
North Carolina
DATE OF DEATH
6/27/2023
STATE REPORTS
Not Available
SUMMARY OF DEATH
On the night of June 27, 2023, a 23-month-old child was fatally shot during a domestic violence incident at an apartment on Shanda Drive in Raleigh, North Carolina. The child's father, Natanael Ezequiel Baez (22), allegedly shot three people: the child, Robert Thomas (27) who also died, and Tiffany Claybrooke (27) who survived. Police responded around 11:30 p.m. and Baez was taken into custody after a struggle with officers. He was charged with murder and assault with a deadly weapon and held without bond. Neighbors reported a history of domestic disputes at the location.
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?

The ME report states the cause of death was "Gunshot wounds," and the narrative describes the child as "fatally shot during a domestic violence incident." The news article corroborates this, reporting a shooting that killed the child and another victim.

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)

The ME report states the cause of death was "Gunshot wounds" and the manner of death was "Homicide," indicating the child suffered inflicted injuries from being shot. The narrative further states the child was "fatally shot during a domestic violence incident."

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)?

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?

The ME report states "The child's father, 22-year-old Natanael Ezequiel Baez, was arrested and charged with murder." The news article confirms: "A family member confirmed that Baez is the father of the 23-month-old who died." Baez was identified as the shooter who killed the child, directly implicating the biological father in the death.

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?

The ME report states that the child's father "Natanael Ezequiel Baez, was arrested and charged with murder and assault with a deadly weapon." The news article confirms: "The suspect, Natanael Ezequiel Baez, 22, has been charged with murder and assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury." He was held without bond.

Is domestic violence by the parent/caregiver referenced?

The ME report explicitly describes the shooting as occurring "during a domestic violence incident." The news article further corroborates this with a neighbor's statement: "A lot of domestic disputes to the point where I have almost called the police before but I've never seen any gun violence." This indicates a pattern of domestic violence by the parent/caregiver.

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?

Notable Details

The news article quotes a neighbor, Drew Hopper, who stated: "A lot of domestic disputes to the point where I have almost called the police before but I've never seen any gun violence." This suggests a pattern of domestic violence observable by neighbors that was never formally reported to law enforcement, representing a potential missed intervention opportunity. Additionally, there are significant data discrepancies within the ME report itself: the header lists the date of death as 07/05/2022 and the child's sex as Male ("Unnamed Boy"), while the narrative within the same document describes the incident as occurring on June 27, 2023, and the news article headline refers to the child as a "daughter." These discrepancies may reflect data entry errors and are worth noting for data quality purposes.

Lives Cut Short