NORFOLK, Va. — The Medical Examiner ruled an undetermined death of a child as a homicide Thursday.
On November 12, 2018, shortly after 7 p.m., police responded to the 6300 block of Sangamon Avenue for a report of an unresponsive child. First responders found a 4-year-old boy unresponsive inside a home.
Medics took the boy to Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters where he was pronounced dead.
A 14-year-old boy, who has been in custody since January for previous offenses, is charged with second-degree murder in connection with the child’s death.
The Medical Examiner's report said the boy, Larkin Carr, died of blunt force trauma to the abdomen. He had between 80 to 90 bruises on his body when he died, according to the report.
Court documents said the boy sustained severe trauma to his stomach and most likely died minutes after getting hit.
In January, the mother of the 14-year-old boy, Catherine Seals, was charged with child abuse and neglect. She remains in Norfolk City Jail without bond.
The Commonwealth's Attorney office said Seals is the girlfriend of Larkin's biological father.
Court documents said Larkin was under the care of Seals' son when she got a call from him. She later called the police. Neither the mother nor Larkin's dad were present when the abuse that led to the toddler's death took place, documents said.
Prosecutors alleged Seals knew about the ongoing abuse. Larkin's father told officers he suspected the teen of harming his other 3-year old son as well.
Seals has a preliminary hearing scheduled for Monday.
A spokesperson for the Commonwealth's Attorney office said they plan to try the 14-year-old as an adult on abuse charges. No determination has been made on the second-degree murder charge.
