Mother also charged in baby's death
By Nick Hiltunen
Published in News on October 27, 2009 1:46 PM
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Doniesha Elouise Core
Police have filed neglect charges against the mother of a 6-month-old baby who allegedly died at the hands of her father, Goldsboro police said today.
Doniesha Elouise Core, 21, of Randall Lane, was charged with negligent child abuse and serious bodily injury in the death of her daughter, Diamond Nicole Smith.
Both Ms. Core and the child's father Ronald Smith, 20, of Hines Drive, brought the infant to Wayne Memorial Hospital on Oct. 14.
Doctors discovered the infant had unexplained bleeding in her brain and broken ribs, and the 6-month-old was airlifted to Pitt Memorial Hospital in Greenville. The infant died on Oct. 16 after being placed in a pediatric intensive care unit.
A few days after the death, police charged father Ronald Smith with an open count of murder, and he was jailed without bond in anticipation of a first court appearance.
After the father was charged, Goldsboro police Sgt. Chad Calloway said police did not believe the mother was present at the time of the injury. Ms. Core was not initially charged.
This morning, Calloway said he would not comment on whether police still believe Ms. Core was not present when the injuries were allegedly inflicted.
However, he did say that police believe Ms. Core should have known that Diamond Nicole Smith could be in danger with Ronald Smith.
"Her charge(s) (are) a result of putting a child in a position for something like this to happen to her," Calloway said.
Police do not believe at this point that Ms. Core was directly involved in injuring the infant, he said.
"It's not that she was a part of the injuries that were sustained," Calloway said. "I'll just say that the investigation does show that she should have known the child could be in danger."