Is there any mention of inflicted injury? (e.g. slapped, punched, kicked, choked)

The WBTV affidavit article states the child was "struck with a belt." The child was also found with burns, broken bones ("a fractured pinky toe and four fractured ribs"), and multiple wounds. The Spectrum News article documents "broken bones, healed ligature marks and burns." These injuries are consistent with inflicted physical abuse.

Is there any mention of malnutrition, starvation, or dehydration?

Multiple sources describe the child as severely underweight: "She weighed 27 pounds at the time of her death" while "6-year-old girls usually weigh between 36 and 60 pounds" (WBTV). The Spectrum News article states that "Robinson and Tonya McKnight knew the child was being taped, restrained and denied food." The WBTV article describes the child being punished for "stealing food," indicating food deprivation. This constitutes explicit evidence of starvation and malnutrition.

Is there any mention of medical neglect?

The child had extensive untreated injuries including "a fractured pinky toe and four fractured ribs in various stages of the healing process," "open wounds on her knees, face, arms, and legs that were still open at the time of her death," healed ligature marks, burns, and weighed only 27 pounds at age 6 (WBTV affidavit article). None of these injuries were ever treated medically. While the term "medical neglect" is not explicitly used, the evidence of prolonged untreated injuries and severe malnutrition strongly implies it.

Is there any mention of outdoor elements (including hot car deaths)?

The WBTV affidavit article states the home was "lacking central heat," the adults used an oven and space heaters, "officers reported the low temperature around that time to be 20 degrees," and there were "several holes...in the home's walls, floor, and roof, some of which led to the outside." The WSOCTV article (document 4) notes the child "was cold to the touch when police arrived." While the child was technically indoors, the compromised structure with holes leading outside and no central heat at 20 degrees effectively exposed her to outdoor cold elements. However, it is unclear whether this cold exposure directly contributed to her death versus the other severe abuse and malnutrition.

Is there any mention of prolonged abuse or torture (including restraints, captivity)?

The documents describe a sustained pattern of intentional cruelty. The WBTV article states the child "was forced to live in a dog crate in the living room," was "bound with tape and struck with a belt," was "forced to sit in a soiled diaper for days on end for the last year and a half," and when she broke the crate "was then forced to sleep on the bathroom floor, which police described as being feces-filled." Robinson's phone contained "a photo of the child taped with black duct tape, swollen hands and feet." The child was punished for "stealing food," implying deliberate starvation. The WSOCTV article (document 4) notes prosecutors may file charges of "murder by torture." The home was described as a "house of horrors" (document 1).

Is there any mention of an unsafe sleeping environment?

The WBTV affidavit article describes the child being forced to sleep in a dog crate and later on a feces-filled bathroom floor. Additionally, the home lacked central heat and instead used "an oven and two space heaters (one in a bedroom and another in the living room, about two feet from a cot) as a heat source" with outside temperatures around 20 degrees. These constitute explicitly unsafe sleeping environments.

Was an adoptive parent or guardian involved in the death?

Document 1 states "Robinson was the legal guardian of Dominique and four other children." Document 4 states "both McKnight and Robinson were the victim's legal guardians." Both Susan Robinson and Tonya McKnight served as legal guardians and both have been charged in connection with the child's death.

Was a biological mother involved in the death?

There is a discrepancy across sources regarding Tonya McKnight's relationship to the victim. Document 1 (WSOCTV) explicitly states "McKnight is the mother of Dominique Moody," and document 4 (WSOCTV) headlines her as "the mother." However, document 2 (WBTW) states "McKnight is the grandmother of three of the victims," and document 3 (WBTV) describes her as Dominique's "guardian" with Tery'n McKnight described as "Tonya's daughter." If Tonya is the grandmother, Tery'n (her daughter, age 22) may be Dominique's biological mother. In either interpretation, a biological mother figure (either Tonya or Tery'n) was involved, and both have been charged. Additionally, document 1 states Robinson alleged that "Dominique's mother had abused the girl for a year and a half prior to her death."

Was another adult relative involved in the death? (e.g., grandfather, aunt)

Susan Robinson, described as "Tonya's sister" (WBTV affidavit article), was a legal guardian of Dominique and was arrested and charged. Robinson is an adult relative — either the child's aunt (if Tonya is the mother) or great-aunt (if Tonya is the grandmother). Additionally, if Tonya McKnight is the grandmother (as document 2 states), she too would qualify as another adult relative involved in the death. The WBTV article states: "Robinson also admitted to seeing the girl neglected and abused, but did not help, call 911, or report what was going on."

Was the child living with relatives at the time of the incident (but not parents)?

The child was living with three adults: Tonya McKnight, Tery'n McKnight, and Susan Robinson. The WBTV affidavit article identifies them as "Tonya McKnight, her guardian; Tery'n McKnight, Tonya's daughter; and Susan Robinson, Tonya's sister." Document 2 (WBTW) describes Tonya McKnight as "the grandmother of three of the victims." If Tonya is the grandmother (not the biological mother), then the child was living with relatives (grandmother, possible mother Tery'n, and great-aunt Robinson) under a guardianship arrangement. However, documents 1 and 4 (WSOCTV) describe McKnight as the mother, which would mean the child was living with a biological parent. Due to this discrepancy, certainty is ambiguous, but the child was clearly under a legal guardianship arrangement with non-parent relatives involved.

Was an adult charged or arrested for the child's death?

Three adults were arrested and charged. Document 5 (Spectrum News) states: "Susan Robinson, 61, and Tonya McKnight, 51, were arrested in connection with the case" and "Robinson's niece, Tery'n McKnight, 22, was arrested Wednesday afternoon." Each was "charged with one count of felony child abuse resulting in serious physical injury and four counts of misdemeanor child abuse." Document 4 notes Robinson was denied bond and Tonya McKnight received a $2 million bond.

Several notable details emerge from the sources. First, prosecutors indicated that additional charges, including "murder by torture," may be filed pending lab results (document 4). Second, Robinson's phone contained photographic evidence of the abuse — "a photo of the child taped with black duct tape, swollen hands and feet, lying on a carpet in the living room" (WBTV). Third, the Spectrum News article reports a neighbor "frequently heard a child crying but did not personally know the residents," suggesting community awareness without intervention. Fourth, there is a significant discrepancy across sources about Tonya McKnight's relationship to the victim: documents 1 and 4 (WSOCTV) describe her as the "mother," while document 2 (WBTW) calls her the "grandmother" and document 3 (WBTV) describes her as the child's "guardian." Fifth, the third suspect, Tery'n McKnight, "was reportedly hit by a truck and hospitalized before she could be charged" (WBTV). Finally, the NCDHHS statement referenced working with county agencies "when there are fatalities of children who have received services," which may imply prior child welfare involvement, though this is not confirmed.