On April 23, 2022, 3-month-old Kamryn Noel and his 1-year-old sister Amariah Noel were found unresponsive in the back seat of their mother's car on Drew Street in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. The family had been intermittently living in their vehicles since mid-March 2022. Their mother, Zharia Noel, had placed both children in the back seat of her car to sleep around 2 a.m., with the vehicle's engine and heater running because the outside temperature was approximately 54 degrees. The mother's boyfriend, Ahmene Butler, who was not the children's father, reportedly told the mother he would watch the children while she slept. Both adults then went to Butler's vehicle, which was parked in front of the mother's car, and Butler checked on the children roughly every three hours, adjusting the temperature. At approximately 9 a.m., both children were discovered to be unresponsive and not breathing. Emergency personnel responded and transported the children to a local hospital, but resuscitation efforts failed. Autopsies determined both children died of hyperthermia, and the children were found with burns, bruising, and marks on their bodies. Both Zharia Noel and Ahmene Butler were subsequently indicted by an Edgecombe County grand jury on charges of involuntary manslaughter and felony child abuse.
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)?
The ME report states that the mother and boyfriend "allegedly left the children unsupervised in a vehicle with the engine and heater running for several hours." The Rocky Mount Telegram article further details that Zharia Noel and Butler were in Butler's separate vehicle while the children were in Zharia's car, and that Butler "had checked on the children roughly every three hours and would adjust the temperature." The children were not continuously supervised.
Is there any mention of inflicted injury? (e.g. slapped, punched, kicked, choked)
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)?
This is a hot car death. The ME report (NC_22_64.pdf) states the cause of death was "Environmental- Hyperthermia." The Rocky Mount Telegram article explains that "the vehicle's heater was on because the temperature outside was about 54 degrees" and the children were left in the car for hours. The autopsy reports emphasized that "children are vulnerable to heat due to their underdeveloped temperature regulatory abilities."
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?
The Rocky Mount Telegram article details that the mother put the children to sleep in the back seat of her car: "Zharia Noel said she put Amariah Noel to sleep about 2 a.m. on April 23, 2022, in the back passenger side of her car beside Kamryn Noel, who was in the driver's side back seat." The children were sleeping in a vehicle with the engine and heater running, which constitutes 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?
Zharia Noel, the biological mother, was directly involved in the death. The ME report states she and her boyfriend "allegedly left the children unsupervised in a vehicle with the engine and heater running for several hours." She was indicted on charges of involuntary manslaughter and felony child abuse. The Rocky Mount Telegram confirms she was the children's mother and "the primary caregiver of the two children."
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)?
Ahmene Butler, the mother's boyfriend, was involved in the death. The Rocky Mount Telegram states: "her boyfriend was not the father of either child." He was also charged with involuntary manslaughter and felony child abuse. According to the Rocky Mount Telegram, Butler "had checked on the children roughly every three hours and would adjust the temperature" while both adults were in his separate vehicle.
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 adults were charged. The ME report states: "Both adults were indicted by an Edgecombe County grand jury on charges of involuntary manslaughter and felony child abuse." The Rocky Mount Telegram confirms the indictments of both Zharia Noel and Ahmene Butler, both 22, by the Edgecombe County grand jury on March 6.
Is domestic violence by the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is there any mention that the death occurred in a temporary shelter or while homeless?
The Rocky Mount Telegram article states: "Zharia Noel said she and her two children, along with Butler, had sporadically been staying in their cars since March 14, 2022." The family was effectively homeless and living in their vehicles at the time of the children's deaths.
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
Several substantive details are worth noting. First, there is a discrepancy in the manner of death: the WRAL article states "The deaths of Amaria and Kamryn Noel were ruled homicides" while the ME report (NC_22_64.pdf) lists the manner of death as "Accident." This discrepancy may reflect an initial law enforcement classification versus the final medical examiner determination. Second, Kamryn's 1-year-old sister Amariah Noel also died of hyperthermia in the same incident, making this a dual-fatality case. Third, the bond controversy was significant — the $100,000 unsecured bonds set by the magistrate drew public outcry from family members and the district attorney, who called the amount "unusually low." The WRAL article quotes the aunt saying: "You've got drug dealers out here that get higher bonds than that and can't even get out." The Rocky Mount Telegram reports that the city manager had to clarify that bond-setting is a court function, not a municipal government or police function, in response to community complaints.
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