A man who was previously charged with three felony child abuse charges has had one of the charges upgraded to first degree murder.

Chason McKinnon Walker, 29, of Kinston was arrested on July 3, 2023, in the 700 block of Garland Avenue in Kinston when Lenoir County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a call of a 3-year-old suffering a cardiac arrest. The child died, had bruising on his body and deputies notified the LCSO’s detective division to investigate.

During the subsequent investigation, probable cause was developed that criminal conduct had occurred with the death of the child. Along with the child that died, there were two other children in the home that had issues of neglect and Walker received three felony neglect child abuse charges.

On Wednesday, April 24, Walker was indicted by a Lenoir County grand jury, upgrading one of the charges from felony neglect to first degree murder. On Saturday, April 27, Walker turned himself in to LCSO authorities and was given no bond.