Seaboard police Chief Virginia Powell said currently Sherika Norwood, 26, faces a charge of felony intentional child abuse causing serious bodily injury.
Investigation by the SBI and Seaboard Police Department continues to determine whether more charges will be filed against the woman.
Norwood, of East Church Street, is currently jailed on $1 million bond and has a first court appearance Thursday in Jackson.
Investigation began Friday when Deputy W. Killian of the Northampton County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call of an unresponsive child shortly after 3 a.m.
Powell said in a statement Killian saw the unresponsive juvenile on the porch and began to administer CPR.
EMS arrived on scene shortly after and transported the boy to Halifax Regional Medical Center in Roanoke Rapids.
Powell was notified of the call due to foul play being suspected while Child Protective Services and Detective J. Jenkins of the sheriff’s office also responded to HRMC, where the child was later pronounced dead.
A search warrant execution was conducted at Norwood’s residence by Powell and Captain Patrick Jacobs of the sheriff’s office. Powell also notified the SBI, which provided processing of the crime scene. Several items of evidence were collected.
Powell said in the statement the boy sustained serious and extensive injuries about his body.
This morning Powell said it appeared the boy had old scars about his body consistent with ongoing abuse. It is believed, she said, a belt was used to inflict the injuries and there were fresh wounds on his body the morning the call was made he was unresponsive. “Over time, it got too much for his body to take,” she said. “Old scars had healed and he had fresh ones when we got there.”

She said it has not been determined whether the belt was the proximate cause of death.

The boy was a twin and Powell said there was reportedly evidence of old scarring on the twin.