SC mother charged in infant's death

Janette Clayton, 27, now faces a homicide by child abuse charge in the death of her daughter.

The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division announced the new charge on Friday. Before this update, Clayton had been charged with three counts of unlawful conduct toward a child. Her 11-month-old daughter, Nomai Weathers, was found dead on June 17.

Nomai was discovered near the front doorway of the family's apartment in North Charleston. She was partially wrapped in a blanket and weighed 4 pounds, 13 ounces. An autopsy determined that starvation and acute bronchopneumonia caused her death. The medical examiner ruled the manner of death to be a homicide.

Court documents state that Nomai was born prematurely and diagnosed with sickle cell disease. The condition required specific medical appointments. Prosecutors allege that Clayton failed to take her daughter to these necessary visits. The apartment was described as deplorable and infested with cockroaches and flies. Officials reported finding no food or child care supplies inside the unit.

The case has also affected two North Charleston Police Department officers who previously responded to the address. Both were placed on leave during the investigation. One officer was fired and charged with a crime. The other officer was reinstated to active duty.