Judge denies bond reduction for Tell City man in toddler death case

A Perry County judge denied Trevor Reichard-Hayes’s request to reduce his bond on May 29, keeping the Tell City man under the same pretrial restrictions as his case moves toward a June hearing.

Court records show Reichard-Hayes asked for a lower bond, but the judge turned it down after hearing testimony. The decision leaves one of Perry County’s most serious criminal cases on its current track, with prosecutors still pursuing charges tied to the death of the couple’s 2-year-old son, Erik Reichard.

Reichard-Hayes and Katherine Carter were arrested on April 3, 2026, after police said they called 911 to report that the toddler was not breathing. Officers responded, and the child died at the scene. Later reporting said the investigation was a joint effort involving Tell City Police, Indiana State Police Jasper detectives and the Indiana Department of Child Services, and that both parents were lodged in the Perry County Detention Center after arrest.

The charges remain grave. Reichard-Hayes and Carter face murder counts, along with neglect of a dependent resulting in death. Later reporting said the case also includes neglect of a dependent resulting in serious bodily injury and additional neglect counts. Court documents described the home as filthy, with feces, insects and other signs of severe neglect. Investigators also said the boy was extremely malnourished and had bug bites all over his body.

Autopsy findings reported in the case add to the seriousness of the allegations. Reporting said material consistent with drywall, paint chips, spackling and diaper gel or diaper material was found in the child’s stomach or colon. One account said Erik Reichard weighed about 15 pounds, roughly half the expected weight for a child his age.

For Perry County residents watching the case, the bond ruling means Reichard-Hayes will remain under the court’s current restrictions while the case continues through the next round of hearings. The denial does not resolve the criminal charges, but it signals that the court is still treating the allegations as severe enough to keep a tight hold on the defendant while prosecutors and defense attorneys prepare for what comes next.