TELL CITY, Ind. — An Indiana couple is facing murder and child neglect charges in connection to the death of a 2-year-old boy last week, authorities said.

According to a news release from the Tell City Police Department, Trevor Reichard-Hayes, 39, and Katherine Carter, 31, both of Tell City, were arrested on April 3.

They are each facing counts of murder, neglect of a dependent resulting in death, neglect of a dependent resulting in serious bodily injury and neglect of a dependent.

Officers responded on March 31 to a residence after receiving a report of a small child who was not breathing, WFIE reported.

Police said that the boy, Erik Reichard, was pronounced dead at the scene. The child appeared to have been deceased for several hours, according to the television station.

Officers described the living conditions in the residence as “very poor,” with an abundance of drywall, paint chips and pieces of diapers scattered across the room, WEHT reported.

The boy had also suffered from approximately 40 sores or bug bites on his body, police said.

“The living conditions that he was confined to are not what you would want a child to be exposed to,” Samantha Hurst, Perry County Prosecutor, told WFIE.

According to an affidavit, officials performing an autopsy on the child discovered white material in his enlarged colon that was consistent with drywall, paint chips or spackling from the home, WFIE reported. Diaper material was also removed from the boy’s digestive system, court records stated.

The autopsy determined that the child was malnourished and weighed 15 pounds -- half of what a typical 2-year-old might weigh, WEHT reported.

The autopsy found no evidence of physical trauma inflicted to Erik, according to the television station.

“This is a highly emotional case,” Tell City police Chief Derrick Lawalin told WFIE. “It’s a case that’s beyond what we see often here in our community. Most of the officers and first responders that respond to these type of things ... we have children of our own so it’s certainly difficult to not get too emotionally attached to the case.”

Reichard-Hayes is scheduled to appear in court on May 28, while Carter has a May 14 date in court, online booking records show.

© 2026 Cox Media Group