Mom's boyfriend charged with murder in death of Johnston County 2-year-old boy

SMITHFIELD, N.C. (WTVD) -- A man has been charged with murder in the death of a child, the Johnston County Sheriff's Office said Monday.

Deputies began investigating on Friday when they got a call from WakeMed at 12:40 a.m. about an injured 2-year-old boy.

WakeMed workers told deputies that the child had severe head trauma and bruising on his body. Investigators learned that EMS had gone to an address on Cleveland Road a day earlier when someone called 911 to report that a child was having a seizure. EMS took the child to WakeMed.

Deputies also learned that the Johnston County Department of Social Services had been to the home to conduct a welfare check on two other children, ages 2 and 3. DSS removed those children from the home and took them to WakeMed for evaluation.

Deputies and Detectives went to the home on Cleveland Road and spoke to Lance Nolan Pearce, 30, who said he was the live-in boyfriend of the injured child's mother.

Pearce agreed to go to the Johnston County Sheriff's Office for questioning, and investigators got a search warrant for the home. Pearce was subsequently charged with intentional child abuse inflicting serious bodily injury.

On Sunday, the toddler died from his injuries. As a result, Pearce's charge was upgraded to murder.

He remains in the Johnston County Detention Center without bond. The investigation remains ongoing.

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