On December 25, 2022, 24-year-old mother Tamiya Tomlin called 911 after finding her 5-month-old son, Amir Wright, unresponsive following a nap in Greensboro, North Carolina. Amir was pronounced dead at the hospital; an autopsy determined his cause of death to be malnutrition and starvation, with his manner of death ruled a homicide. His twin brother was also found severely malnourished and near death. The twins, who were born weighing 4.5 pounds each and tested positive for THC at birth, had gained only 0.5 pounds over their five months of life. Tomlin, who had prior CPS involvement in Ohio and had moved to North Carolina just two days before giving birth, was initially charged with two counts of felony child abuse and was later indicted for first-degree murder in July 2023.
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)
Is there any mention of malnutrition, starvation, or dehydration?
All three documents explicitly reference malnutrition and starvation. The medical examiner record (NC_22_433.pdf) lists the cause of death as "Starvation" and notes "His cause of death was determined to be malnutrition and starvation." The Fox 8 article states "An autopsy determined that the boy died of malnutrition and starvation." The True Crime Daily article confirms "His cause of death was malnutrition and starvation."
Is there any mention of medical neglect?
While no source explicitly uses the term "medical neglect," the circumstances strongly imply it. The Fox 8 article states the twins "weighed 4.5 pounds" at birth and "weighed 5 pounds" at 5 months, "an increase of only 0.5 pounds." Officers noted the child "was skin and bones and could see where his joints were visible, and he appeared to be very malnourished." A child deteriorating this severely over 5 months without any medical intervention being sought strongly implies medical neglect — no reasonable caregiver could observe such decline without seeking medical attention.
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)?
Multiple sources confirm prenatal substance exposure. The medical examiner record (NC_22_433.pdf) states the "infants had previously tested positive for THC at birth." The Fox 8 article corroborates: "When the twins were born, they reportedly weighed 4.5 pounds and had THC in their systems." The True Crime Daily article similarly reports the boys "had traces of THC in their system" at birth.
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?
Was a biological mother involved in the death?
The medical examiner record (NC_22_433.pdf) identifies "Greensboro mother Tamiya Tomlin" as the one who called 911 after finding Amir unresponsive. The Fox 8 article confirms she was "charged with first-degree murder" in connection with "the death of Amir Wright." The True Crime Daily article identifies her as a "24-year-old mother." She was the biological mother and was charged with murder for the child's death by starvation.
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?
The Fox 8 article states "When the twins were born, they reportedly weighed 4.5 pounds." The True Crime Daily article confirms "The boys reportedly weighed 4 1/2 pounds when they were born." A birth weight of 4.5 pounds (approximately 2,041 grams) is below the standard low birthweight threshold of 2,500 grams (5.5 lbs), qualifying as low birthweight.
Is there a history of child protection reports prior to death (for this child or siblings)?
All three documents reference prior CPS involvement. The medical examiner record (NC_22_433.pdf) states "Tomlin had prior involvement with Child Protective Services." The Fox 8 article specifies "Tomlin had a record of alleged neglect with child protective services in Ohio." The True Crime Daily article states "Tomlin reportedly admitted to authorities that she had interactions with Child Protective Services in the past."
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?
Multiple sources confirm Tamiya Tomlin was charged. The Fox 8 article states "Tamiya Tashaun Tomlin was charged with first-degree murder on Monday" and "had also been charged with two counts of felony child abuse inflicting serious injuries on Dec. 28, 2022, with a total of $500,000 secured bond." The True Crime Daily article confirms she "was initially arrested Dec. 28, 2022, on two counts of child abuse with serious physical injury, but records show she was charged with murder July 24."
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?
The presence of THC in the twins' systems at birth directly implies maternal substance use during pregnancy. The Fox 8 article states the twins "had THC in their systems" at birth, and the True Crime Daily article confirms the boys "had traces of THC in their system." While no source explicitly states that the mother used marijuana, the THC found in the newborns necessarily came from maternal use.
Notable Details
The True Crime Daily article reports that "Tomlin moved from Ohio to North Carolina and gave birth to the twins two days later," while the Fox 8 article notes "Tomlin had a record of alleged neglect with child protective services in Ohio." This combination suggests a potential systemic gap in cross-state CPS oversight: a mother with a documented CPS history in Ohio relocated to North Carolina and gave birth just two days after arrival, apparently without any continuity of child welfare monitoring. Additionally, the surviving twin was described as being "also near death due to malnutrition," indicating that both children suffered severe and prolonged neglect, and the surviving twin's condition underscores the severity of the failure to intervene over the five months of their lives.
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