A North Carolina woman was sentenced on Monday to eight to 11 years in prison for the February 2020 death of her 6-month-old son — whose disappearance sparked an AMBER Alert.
While Tamara Brown, 30, was initially charged with murder, she ultimately pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter, felony child abuse, and common law robbery. Brown’s son, Chi-Liam Cody Brown-Erickson, was found dead at Sharon Memorial Park cemetery in Charlotte on February 22, 2020, days after he was seen alive in Matthews, according to WBTV.
Both the mother and child vanished from Matthews on February 20, as CrimeOnline previously reported. Police looking for the missing mother and child said at the time that she was possibly suffering from mental health issues and could be in uptown Charlotte, about 10 miles northwest of Matthews..
A day before the infant was found, Brown was arrested for stealing a man’s iPhone and biting and spitting at police officers. Following her arrest, she refused to tell authorities where her son was located.
An autopsy confirmed the 6-month-old boy died from hypothermia from being exposed to below-freezing temperatures.
WBAL reported that Brown was not in court on Monday because she had been involuntarily committed.
After completing her sentence, Brown must complete 36 months of probation. She will serve an extra 13 to 25 months in prison if she violates the terms of her probation.
For the latest true crime and justice news, subscribe to the ‘Crime Stories with Nancy Grace’ podcast. Listen to the latest episode:
[Featured image: Tamara Brown and Chi-Liam Cody Brown-Erickson/Matthews Police Department (via WBTV)]
