A North Carolina father has been charged in the death of his two-year-old son after he allegedly left the toddler in a room with a space heater on for more than 12 hours.
On December 2, 2023, deputies with the Moore County Sheriff’s Office responded to a 911 call and found River Carter dead inside a home in West End, a small town between Fayetteville and Charlotte.
Following a review of the findings from the state’s medical examiner, the sheriff’s office announced they had arrested River’s father, Aaron Lynwood Carter, on Tuesday, more than a year after the boy’s death.
“Investigators determined that River had been isolated in a room for more than twelve hours and had been exposed to elevated temperatures from a space heater prior to his death being reported,” a statement from the sheriff’s office said.
Carter, 27, has been charged with one count of felony involuntary manslaughter and one count of felony child abuse inflicting serious bodily injury in connection with his son’s death. He is being held at the Moore County Detention Center under a $500,000 bond and is set to appear in court on Thursday.
River’s obituary said the boy, born on July 16, 2021, leaves behind his sister and parents.
“River loved life and all people. He enjoyed making people smile and giving hugs,” the obituary read. “River loved anything outside and active, animals, trucks, cars, his family, music, and dancing. He had so much character for a 2-year-old. Truly the most genuine and kind soul.”
Delayed Autopsy and Arrest
Major Eric Galloway of the Moore County Sheriff’s Office told DailyMail.com that deputies met with the medical examiner and received the autopsy results on Tuesday. Carter was arrested and charged the same day.
“As soon as we got confirmation of the cause of death, we arrested him,” Galloway said.
When questioned about whether Carter could have been arrested earlier based on the evidence at the scene, Galloway stated that deputies erred on the side of caution. He declined to comment on why it took over a year for the medical examiner to complete the autopsy.
A report issued in August 2024 by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, titled Strategic Plan for Improving the Medical Examiner System, highlighted a nationwide shortage of forensic pathologists—professionals tasked with investigating deaths that are sudden, unexpected, or suspected homicides.
The report noted that the state medical examiner’s office had added a team of temporary staff last year, who now comprise approximately 45 percent of its entire workforce.
