CHARLOTTE — The mother of a 6-year-old girl found dead in heinous conditions appeared in court for the first time Tuesday morning.
Tonya McKnight was arrested Monday. During her first appearance, Judge Cecilia Oseguera set her bond at $2 million.
Police found Dominique Moody dead last week.
Channel 9’s Hunter Sáenz was in the courtroom where prosecutors said Moody was cold to the touch when police arrived. They say McKnight waited 40 minutes before calling 911.
Court documents describe the horrific level of abuse the victim endured.
Broken bones, healed scars from where she was tied up and burns. She also suffered from a severe rash due to prolonged exposure to urine and feces-filled diapers.
Prosecutors said the 6-year-old wasn’t able to walk properly because she was left in a dog cage for days at a time.
Court documents also said the home was infested with rats and cockroaches.
McKnight is charged with inflicting serious bodily injury and child abuse. Prosecutors are waiting for lab results, and based on that, more charges could be filed, including murder by torture.
On Monday, a judge denied bond for another woman in the case — Susan Robinson. According to police, Robinson refused to assist, call 911 or report abuse and neglect.
Robinson has been charged with felony child abuse, inflicting serious injury, and misdemeanor child abuse because of the condition inside the home.
According to prosecutors, both McKnight and Robinson were the victim’s legal guardians, and the other kids in the house at the time were possibly McKnight’s grandchildren.
There are allegations that Robinson stated Dominique’s mother had abused the girl for a year and a half prior to her death.
Tune in to Eyewitness News at 5 p.m. and check back with wsoctv.com for more updates.
VIDEO: ‘House of horrors’: Police detail conditions leading to 6-year-old’s death after guardian’s arrest
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