LINCOLN COUNTY, N.C. — Lincoln County Sheriff’s detectives are investigating the Christmas Eve night death of a 6-month-old boy. The boy’s mother was charged with neglect and child abuse after two other children were found in a filthy home.
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The mother’s bond was reduced Monday.
Deputies and Lincoln County EMS were dispatched at 11:45 p.m. Friday to 1747 Temple Lane in Dallas after the father of the child, Jerry Allen, called 911 saying he came home from work to find his son unresponsive, naked and alone on the living room sofa.
Allen told investigators that he found his wife, Stephanie Amber Tillman, 30, in bed in a back bedroom of the home with their other two children, ages 3 and 4 in the room. The other children were awake and naked when found.
“That night when I walked in, I was blown away because I’ve never seen anybody live the way that house was that night,” Allen told Channel 9 on Monday.
Lincoln County EMS confirmed the young child on the sofa was dead and requested the medical examiner. The medical examiner said he checked the child and could not find injuries or a cause of death.
Tillman’s bond was reduced Monday morning by a Lincoln County judge, news partner the Gaston Gazette reports. The judge reduced Tillman’s bond from $100,000 to $10,000 after looking over the file.
Tillman was charged with three misdemeanor counts of contributing to the delinquency and neglect by parents and three misdemeanor counts of child abuse.
The judge said she was reducing the bond because Tillman does not have a criminal record and the charges were misdemeanors, the Gazette reports.
Tillman also asked for a court-appointed attorney during her first appearance.
Allen, who has two other children with Tillman, said their relationship was “rocky,” but he didn’t think she would hurt them.
“She had her moments when the kids would get on her nerve, but up until this incident, it was things we could work with,” Allen said.
Investigators found the home filthy from human and animal waste and garbage, the Sheriff’s Office said.
Lincoln County Department of Social Services took custody of the children at the scene and later turned the children over to family members for their care and custody.
EMS treated Tillman at the scene for injuries she received two days earlier as the result of an assault and what appeared to be extreme intoxication from prescribed medication. She was then transported to CHS-Lincoln for further treatment.
She was released two hours later and arrested by detectives.
Channel 9 went by Tillman’s home on Temple Lane on Monday. Neighbors said he found the couple’s 3- and 4-year-old children roaming the streets naked and alone twice.
“She just didn’t seem to really care,” the neighbor said.
Allen said he wants answers.
“It’s just a bunch of assumptions and guesses and everyone throwing their opinions in. I want facts,” he said.
Channel 9 spoke to the assistant district attorney on the case Monday afternoon. He said officials are reviewing the autopsy results for 6-month-old Jerry.
He’s scheduled to meet with the district attorney Tuesday to decide if they will pursue any further charges.