Officials said a 10-month-old boy died after being found with multiple stab wounds at a home on Rocala Drive.
BUNCOMBE COUNTY, N.C. — Buncombe County authorities said a woman is facing a murder charge after a 10-month-old boy was found with multiple stab wounds and later died at a hospital Thursday.
According to the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office, the woman charged is Ciara Frederick. Deputies said emergency crews were sent to Rocala Drive just after 2 p.m. There, they found the infant, identified as Enoch Chappell, and arranged for him to be taken to Mission Hospital. He was later pronounced dead.
The sheriff’s office said Frederick was taken into custody as the investigation unfolded. In addition to murder, deputies said she was charged with two counts of assault with a deadly weapon. Authorities did not immediately say how those counts connect to the events at the home or release further details about the circumstances surrounding the child’s injuries.
The publicly confirmed timeline is narrow but significant. Deputies and medical personnel were called in the early afternoon, the child was found with severe injuries, and a hospital later confirmed his death. That sequence moved the matter from an emergency response to a criminal investigation centered on the death of an infant.
Officials have not yet publicly described whether anyone else was hurt, whether witnesses were inside the residence, or what evidence investigators recovered. They also have not said whether Frederick had appeared before a judge, whether bond had been discussed, or when prosecutors may present more detail in court filings.
For now, the sheriff’s office account provides the key facts: the location, the time deputies were called, the identity of the child, the hospital where he was taken, and the charges filed against the mother. More information is likely to emerge through charging records, court appearances and any later statements from investigators.
The case remained active in the latest update, with Frederick in custody and the investigation continuing. The next public milestone is expected to be the release of court proceedings or additional information from law enforcement.
Author note: Last updated March 28, 2026.