Women accused of ‘prolonged abuse and torture’ of girl appear in Charlotte court
Three women accused of abusing 6-year-old Dominque Moody, who died in December, are now also facing first-degree murder charges.
Susan Robinson, Tonya McKnight, and Tery’n McKnight all appeared in Mecklenburg County Superior Court Thursday morning for a first appearance.
All have all been charged with first-degree murder in the homicide of Dominque, who died after being taken to a hospital on Dec. 16. The three women were previously charged with felony and misdemeanor child abuse charges.
Dominique was only 27 pounds when police were called by her aunt and legal guardian, McKnight, the night she died. McKnight said she wasn’t breathing, according to a police affidavit. Dominique was taken to the hospital where she was pronounced dead a couple of hours later.
A medical examiner found Dominique had injuries including burn scars, fractures to her ribs, and wounds from “prolonged sitting in urine/feces-soiled items, such as a diaper, for extensive periods of time,” the affidavit said.
The home was “unkempt” with human and animal feces throughout, rats running around, and a smell of urine and other odors, police said. There was no centralized heat, with an oven and two space heaters warming the home.
At night, the temperature of the home reached 20 degrees, the affidavit said. Four other children lived in the home at the time of Dominique’s death, and the affidavit said she was often bound with black tape and struck with a white belt.
“They further advised that when Dominique was found not breathing, she was placed in front of the kitchen stove to warm her up and bring her back to life,” the affidavit said.
Susan Robinson said McKnight forced Dominique to live in a dog crate, but that when Dominique broke it, she instead slept on the feces-filled bathroom floor, the affidavit said.
Assistant District Attorney Desmond McCallum said in court Thursday that cellphone and Apple Cloud information suggested Dominque had been imprisoned in the bathroom and a dog crate. McCallum called it “prolonged abuse and torture” that lasted months or years.
Police said Robinson told investigators that Tonya McKnight would often leave her child with Robinson and Tery’n McKnight, Tonya’s adopted sister. All three women lived at the home with the children.
Robinson said she and Tery’n McKnight were responsible for the children when Tonya McKnight would leave, which was often multiple times per month, the affidavit said. Police said Robinson told investigators she saw Dominique duct-taped and left without food in a soiled diaper for days, but refused to help or call 911 to report abuse and neglect, the affidavit said.
“Tery’n McKnight and Susan Robinson’s failure to take any action to remedy the problems caused by Tonya McKnight shows reckless disregard for Dominique Moody’s life, which ultimately caused her serious injuries, including the wounds from the rash on her genitals and buttocks, broken bones, scars, and burns,” the affidavit said. “This also creates and allows for a substantial risk of physical injury to the other children living in the household.”
Mecklenburg District Court Judge Cecilia Oseguera set no bond for all three women in court Thursday morning.
All three are being held at the Mecklenburg County Jail, according to jail records.
Staff writer Julia Coin contributed.
This story was originally published February 5, 2026 at 12:00 PM.
