Two charged with murder in Tell City toddler death

Trevor Reichard-Hayes, 39, and Katherine Carter, 31, were arrested April 3 and charged with murder and multiple counts of neglect after 2-year-old Erik Reichard was found unresponsive inside a Tell City home at 81 Guttenberg Lane. Tell City officers responded to a 911 call on March 31 at approximately 1:19–1:30 p.m.; first responders pronounced the child dead at the scene. Both suspects were booked into the Perry County Detention Center and were being held without bond following initial appearances in early April.

The probable-cause affidavit and coroner materials describe extreme deprivation. Medical examiners reported Erik weighed roughly 15 pounds, about half the expected weight for a healthy 2-year-old, and found material in his digestive tract consistent with drywall, paint chips and gel-like diaper substances. Investigators cataloged more than 40 sores or insect bites on the child’s skin and described the residence as deplorable, with feces and urine on bedroom floors and insects throughout the home.

Investigators found a training potty left full of waste, and first responders observed the child blue and pale with rigor mortis suggesting he had been deceased for hours before the 911 call. Two other children were removed from the Guttenberg Lane home by the Indiana Department of Child Services, and at least one sibling required immediate medical attention for malnutrition and dehydration; DCS has placed the children in state custody while they recover.

Perry County Prosecutor Samantha Hurst filed charges that include murder, neglect of a dependent resulting in death, neglect of a dependent resulting in serious bodily injury, and additional neglect counts. Under Indiana law, a murder conviction carries a sentencing range of 45 to 65 years, with an advisory term of 55 years; a Level 1 felony used for severe neglect carries a sentencing range of 20 to 40 years, with an advisory term of 30 years. Prosecutor Hurst and the Perry County Coroner’s Office continue work on the coroner’s final report and related filings in the Perry County clerk’s office.

Tell City Police Chief Derrick Lawalin described the emotional toll on investigators, saying, "This is a highly emotional case... It's a case that's beyond what we see often here in our community." Prosecutor Hurst emphasized the scene’s severity: "The living conditions that he was confined to are not what you would want a child to be exposed to," as the coroner and prosecutor finished their investigative steps.

The Tell City Police Department, the Perry County Coroner’s Office and the Perry County Prosecutor’s Office led the joint investigation with assistance from DCS. Statewide context underscores the stakes: Indiana DCS reported it investigated 276 child deaths in 2024 and determined 59 were the result of abuse or neglect, with more than 70 percent of victims age 3 or younger. The public may report suspected child abuse or neglect to the Indiana DCS Child Abuse and Neglect Hotline at 1-800-800-5556, available 24/7.