US soldier and girlfriend charged with murder after baby and three dogs starved to death

Published Jul 18, 03:06 PM UTC

A U.S. soldier, Ladarrion McCray, 23, and his girlfriend, Emma Bradshaw, 22, have been charged with felony murder, child abuse, and aggravated animal cruelty after allegedly starving their infant son and three dogs to death in on-base housing at Fort Benning, Georgia. Prosecutors allege the couple willfully deprived their son of sustenance for roughly two weeks in January, leading to his death on Jan. 28. Army investigators found two severely malnourished dogs in the home and later discovered a third dog, a dachshund, discarded in a trash can; a necropsy confirmed it died of starvation. Both defendants pleaded not guilty on June 11 and were released on bond with pretrial supervision, including orders to undergo mental health evaluation and a ban on possessing pets. If convicted, they face life in prison. Their next court appearance is scheduled for July 22.