On July 3, 2023, EMS responded to a medical call at a home on the 700 block of Garland Avenue in Kinston, Lenoir County, North Carolina, where three-year-old Rylend Andrade was found unresponsive and could not be revived. The autopsy determined the cause of death was starvation and dehydration. The child was found in a bed with speaker wire wrapped around his neck, and multiple irregular contusions were noted on his lower back and buttocks, though no evidence of ligature asphyxiation was found. Two other preschool-aged children in the home — identified as the victim's twin brother and a younger brother — were also found severely dehydrated and malnourished and were transported to the hospital. The children had been left in the care of Chason Walker, identified by the county PIO as the child's stepfather, while the biological mother was receiving treatment at a psychiatric hospital. Walker was initially charged with three counts of felony negligent child abuse and neglect and was later indicted for first-degree murder.
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)
The WCTI12 article states: "multiple irregular contusions were located on the toddler's lower back and buttocks." The term "irregular contusions" suggests non-accidental trauma, implying inflicted injury. Additionally, the child was found with speaker wire wrapped around his neck/body, which could constitute an inflicted restraint-related injury, though the autopsy found "no evidence of ligature asphyxiation."
Is there any mention of malnutrition, starvation, or dehydration?
Multiple documents explicitly state the child died of starvation and dehydration. The Public Radio East article states: "Medical examiners say three-year-old Rylend Andrade died of starvation and dehydration." The WCTI12 article states: "3-year-old Rylend Andrade died as a result of starvation and dehydration." Additionally, two other children in the home were found with "severe dehydration and malnutrition" (Public Radio East).
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 child died of starvation and dehydration, which constitutes sustained deprivation of food and water. Beyond this neglect, there is evidence of deliberately cruel actions: the WCTI12 article reports "the toddler was found in a bed with a speaker wire wrapped around him" and "multiple irregular contusions were located on the toddler's lower back and buttocks." The Public Radio East article similarly notes "speaker wire wrapped around his neck." The combination of starvation/dehydration death with physical restraint (speaker wire) and unexplained contusions, along with the subsequent first-degree murder indictment, implies prolonged, deliberately cruel treatment that extends beyond typical neglect.
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?
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)?
The WCTI12 article states: "Lenoir County PIO confirmed that Walker was the stepfather to the three-year-old boy." The Public Radio East article notes that "according to the autopsy the child was being cared for by an acquaintance of his mother while she was in a psychiatric hospital." While the obituary names Walker as the father, the official PIO confirmation identifies him as the stepfather — a male paramour/friend of the mother. Whether characterized as stepfather or acquaintance, Walker was not the biological father and was the person responsible for the child's death.
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?
Chason Walker was arrested and charged for the child's death. The WITN article states: "Chason Walker was indicted last Wednesday for first-degree murder." The WCTI12 article confirms: "Walker previously faced three felony child abuse charges. One of those charges was upgraded to first degree murder last week." He remains jailed without bond.
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?
The child's biological mother was receiving mental health treatment at the time of the child's death. The Public Radio East article states the child was being cared for by Walker "while she was in a psychiatric hospital." The WCTI12 article similarly states "his mother was receiving care at a psychiatric hospital." This explicitly references the mental health of the parent.
Is a history of arrests or criminal charges for the parent/caregiver referenced?
The ABC11 article states Walker "was placed in the Lenoir County Jail under a secured bond for those charges as well as for an outstanding arrest warrant for felony larceny." The Neuse News article similarly notes "an outstanding arrest warrant for felony larceny." This felony larceny warrant predated and was separate from the child abuse and murder charges arising from the child's death.
Is substance use by the parent/caregiver referenced?
Notable Details
Several notable details emerge that were not fully addressed by the preceding questions. The child was found in a bed with speaker wire wrapped around his neck, though the autopsy found no evidence of ligature asphyxiation (Public Radio East, WCTI12). There is a significant discrepancy among sources about Chason Walker's relationship to the child: the obituary names Walker as the child's father, the Lenoir County PIO confirmed he was the stepfather (WCTI12), and the autopsy describes him as "an acquaintance of his mother" (Public Radio East). The child and his two siblings were left in Walker's care while the mother was in a psychiatric hospital, raising systemic questions about how caretaking arrangements were made for the children during the mother's hospitalization. Additionally, two other preschool-aged children in the home — identified as the victim's twin brother and a younger brother — were also found with severe dehydration and malnutrition and required hospital treatment.
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