Three women charged with murder of 6-year-old girl kept in dog crate

Three women in North Carolina, United States have been charged with first-degree m8rder in the d3ath of a 6-year-old child, authorities said.

Investigators said the child weighed 27 pounds at the time of her d3ath.

Susan Robinson, 61, Tonya McKnight, 51, and Tery’n McKnight, 22, were arrested on child abuse charges following the d3ath of Dominique Moody in December 2025. 

The three were charged with murder in the first degree, WBTV reported. 

Police said, via WBTV, Dominique had been kept inside a dog crate and showed signs of prolonged abuse, including healed ligature marks and open wounds.

Authorities described the home as severely neglected, with a strong odor of feces and urine throughout the residence.

Court documents allege the child was frequently restrained with duct tape and denied food, based in part on text messages reviewed by investigators. 

Four other children were living in the home at the time. Police records show officers had been called to the residence nearly 50 times before Dominique’s d3ath, according to WBTV.

Tonya McKnight was Moody’s legal guardian.

A judge denied bond for all three women.