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A 19-year-old is wanted in connection with the beating death of a toddler last week, Charlotte-Mecklenburg police said Monday.
Police say Randy Rashawn Moorehead was babysitting his girlfriend's child, 22-month-old Jalenthia Caldwell, last Friday while the mother was at work.
When she returned, police say, she noticed Jalenthia was sleeping in a strange position and wouldn't wake up. She dialed 911 and tried to perform CPR, police said.
The baby was taken to Presbyterian Hospital with signs of physical abuse, investigators said. Police were unable to say Monday when the child died.
Moorehead is charged with first-degree murder and felony child abuse.
Anyone with information about his whereabouts is asked to call 704-432-TIPS or Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600. Ely Portillo
Meck briefs
Charlotte
One of the nation's experts on social media is speaking in Charlotte at a free event at 7 p.m. Monday.
Joshua Benton, director of the Nieman Journalism Lab at Harvard University, will give insights into the state of social media, including Facebook and Twitter, and what direction it is going.
His appearance is sponsored by the School of Communication at Queens University and The Charlotte Observer. He'll speak at Sykes Auditorium on the Queens campus.
Those planning to attend are asked to pre-register at www2.queens.edu/socialmedia. Staff
A Charlotte Democrat has announced his plans to challenge state Rep. Nick Mackey in northeast District 99 in next year's primary.
Rodney Moore, chairman of the Mecklenburg Democratic Party's African American Caucus, announced his run on Facebook early Monday.
Moore, 46, is a vice chairman of the Charlotte Housing Authority. He ran unsuccessfully in a special 2008 election for the Mecklenburg Board of County Commissioners. Jim Morrill
Noted civil rights attorney Julius Chambers will be the keynote speaker at the Beta Nu Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity's annual Founder's Day program on Friday.
The free program is open to the public and will take place at 7 p.m. at the BetteRae Thomas Recreation Center, 2921 Tuckaseegee Road. Details: call Brian George at (704) 726-1472. Eric Frazier
CSX officials have scheduled a public meeting tonight to discuss a proposed expansion of the CSX Charlotte Intermodal Terminal at Rozzells Ferry and Hovis roads in northwest Charlotte.
The meeting is 5:30- 7:30 p.m. at Paw Creek Presbyterian Church's gymnasium, 7400 Mount Holly Road, in Charlotte. Steve Lyttle
The W. Duke Kimbrell Family Foundation in Gastonia has committed to a $300,000 "challenge" gift to benefit Carolinas Rehabilitation, operated by Carolinas HealthCare System.
The gift will establish the Duke Kimbrell Rehabilitation Research Endowment to support development of a new Research Pavilion, a Human Performance Laboratory and an innovative technology program.
Following an auto accident in 2007, Kimbrell, chairman of Gastonia-based Parkdale Mills, underwent treatment at Carolinas Rehabilitation and credits the center for its crucial role in his recovery.
A native of Gaston County, Kimbrell began working at Parkdale Mills, the world's largest buyer of raw cotton, when he was 14.
Over the next 23 years, Kimbrell worked his way up to CEO and has seen the company grow to 2,500 employees in about 30 factories across North Carolina and Virginia. Karen Garloch
Regional briefs
North Carolina Raleigh
Half as many people died on N.C. highways during this year's holiday drive as last year, according to the Highway Patrol.
The holiday period is counted from Wednesday night to Sunday night.
Last year, 25 people died in wrecks during that time. This year, 12 were killed.
Troopers cautioned that the number is preliminary though, and could rise if more information about fatalities over the weekend is received.
The Highway Patrol had announced it would conduct an aggressive crackdown on speeding and other infractions this year. Speed is the largest contributing factor to fatal wrecks, they said. Ely Portillo
Police digest
Catawba County Sherrills Ford
The man whose body was found floating near a dock Sunday in Lake Norman probably had drowned and was not a victim of foul play, authorities said Monday.
A spokesman for the Catawba County Sheriff's Office said detectives still have not determined the cause of death of a man whose body was discovered near a dock at the Lake Norman Motel in Sherrills Ford. But he said authorities are working under the assumption that the man drowned.
Authorities suspect the victim was a 64-year-old man who owned a boat docked near where the body was found.
They say he was not wearing a life jacket and theorize he might have fallen off the dock and drowned.
The victim's name has not been released, however, because the sheriff's office has not been able to reach family members. Steve Lyttle
Unon County Marshville
Marshville police and the State Bureau of Investigation are trying to determine who was shot to death a 24-year-old man early Monday.
Police have identified the victim as Mitchell Little Jr., of Marshville. His body was discovered after the vehicle slammed into a light pole on U.S. 74 shortly near Elizabeth Avenue after midnight.
Officers say they found a number of bullet holes in the car when they arrived at the scene. The victim was taken to Carolinas Medical Center-Union in Monroe, where he died a short time later.
A man who lives a few blocks from where the car wrecked told WCNC-TV, the Observer's news partner, that he heard a series of gunshots, when the sound of squealing tires, followed by a loud crash.
No arrests have been made. Steve Lyttle
Caldwell County Lenoir
A Caldwell County man was arrested Nov. 24 and charged with trafficking cocaine and marijuana, authorities say.
Kenneth Edwin Bowman Jr., 50, of Granite Falls, was charged after a raid by undercover agents from the Caldwell County Sheriff's Office, deputies say.
Sgt. J.D. Barbour of the sheriff's office said agents visited Bowman's residence, in the 4800 block of Hurricane Hill Road, after a long-term investigation of drug dealers.
Barbour said agents were told Bowman was hiding assets in his name for some of the dealers.
Barbour said agents confiscated $3,380 worth of cocaine and marijuana, $990 in cash, and a 2005 BMW.
Bowman was charged with possession with intent to sell or deliver cocaine, possession with intent to sell or deliver marijuana, and maintaining a dwelling to keep or store a controlled substance. Steve Lyttle
