By admin 
RALEIGH, N.C. (WJZY) — An hours-long hearing is still underway in Raleigh as state lawmakers question Mecklenburg County leaders about the death of 6-year-old Dominique Moody, who was under social services supervision when she died late last year.
Read more NC food forest captures attention of the United Nations
Investigators say Dominique was abused for months. Her death in December 2025 has prompted intense scrutiny of local agencies and the state’s child welfare system.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Chief Estella Patterson, Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry McFadden, and County Manager Mike Bryant all faced questions during a tense House Oversight Committee hearing. Each agreed that Dominique’s death was avoidable.
Representative Carla Cunningham says ‘too many eyes were closed’ as lawmakers in Raleigh tried to get to the bottom of who failed Dominique Moody. Was it CMPD, the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office, or the entire child welfare system in the state of North Carolina?
Chief Patterson called the case a tragedy. “As everybody has stated, this is a tragedy. We should have done everything in our power,” Patterson said.
Sheriff McFadden told lawmakers his office did not know about the abuse.
“I wish we had the opportunity to help this young lady, but we didn’t have any knowledge, we didn’t have anything as it relates to our visits,” McFadden said.
Lawmakers pressed Mecklenburg County leaders about what they described as a number of failures in the case and why officers or deputies did not do more during visits to the east Charlotte home where Dominique was being abused by her three caretakers.
Read more Uncover the Truth: Grammy Award-winning artist Erica Campbell stars in new Lifetime drama
“There seems to be a lot of willingness to shirk responsibility and to try to place the blame on someone else or circle the wagons,” said State Rep. Mike Schietzelt (R-Wake County).
Chief Patterson said officers entered the home during one incident in March 2023, more than two years before Dominique’s death, and reported the children appeared to be in good health.
“I think there could have been more communication. There could be more thorough investigations on all sides to potentially prevent something like this from happening,” Patterson said.
Some of the toughest questions were directed at County Manager Mike Bryant. He told lawmakers his office fired case workers who failed to do enough in the Moody case. Bryant also said the county is working to correct shortcomings identified by a state investigation and plans to hire more staff.
Meanwhile, Dominique’s uncle, J. Vernon Peterson, said what he heard during the hearing points to systemic failures.
“It doesn’t take a sightless person to see what was going on. Someone should have spoken up for the children,” Peterson said.
Read more National Doughnut Day 2026: How to get free doughnuts from Krispy Kreme, Dunkin’ and more