Johnathan Walker:Mother accused of starving 10-year-old son is charged with murder

MORRISVILLE,Johnathan Walker N.C. (AP) — A North Carolina mother accused of starving her 10-year-old son has been charged with murder and negligent child abuse in his death, according to police.

The woman was arrested Thursday by Morrisville police, news outlets reported.

Officers responded Wednesday to a report of an unresponsive child at the home and could not revive the boy.

“It was determined that significant time had passed since the child’s death due to the state of the body,” according to a statement from the town of Morrisville. The boy’s body was in a state of decomposition, police said.

Warrants allege she had been starving the boy, but did not say for how long. Abuse and neglect were believed to be contributing factors in the boy’s death, police said.

During a brief court hearing on Thursday, a judge ordered the woman be held without bail and be represented by the capital defender’s office, the News & Observer reported. That office said it had not yet assigned an attorney to her case.