Johnston County’s Sheriff calls it one of the worst cases of torture involving a child he’s ever seen. We have spoken with the doctors and the medical staff and they are just as concerned and they cannot believe it either. The report that we’ve got one of the worst cases that they have ever been involved with.
It merely brought tears to my eyes. It’s the most horrifying thing I’ve ever seen done to a human being. Especially a child. I’ve never seen anything like that in the years that I’ve been doing this as a law enforcement officer. When they unwrapped the sheet, it became very clear that this person had been suffering for a long period of time and I was not prepared for that.
I took the time to carefully count every single injury that was cited on um Tegan’s autopsy report and she had more than 144 injuries. Um that is an extraordinarily high number of injuries and it’s not the kind of These are not the kind of injuries that will typically occur with a one-time loss of control. I didn’t have one bite mark to look at.
I looked at many, many bite marks covering that lady’s little girl’s body. Not one. And those bite marks were good bite marks. We had six upper and six lower teeth in many cases. In some cases we had eight upper and eight lower teeth. And at point I just couldn’t take anymore and so I looked at him. And I looked at him and I just I said, “Oh my god.” So I took off after him.
And I chased him down. You You did You chased him down? I was running for everything I was worth. I didn’t want to do what needs to be done right here, right now. I am here for Tegan. I am here for my baby, for justice for her. Because that man murdered my baby. I’ll will be in prison for the rest of my life. I just can’t stand them as all of them sexually abusing Huh? I have it.
I loved her so much. I loved her so much. I loved her so much. She called me daddy. I didn’t do it. God damn it, I didn’t do it. This is the worst case of torture of a child and child abuse and neglect that we’ve ever seen. There’s no excuse for this. Warning, what you’re about to hear might be the most disturbing case of child abuse I’ve ever covered.
The story of 4-year-old Teagan Skiba contains details so horrific that seasoned detectives and medical professionals broke down in tears. This isn’t just another true crime story. This is a wake-up call for anyone who suspects a child might be in danger, but hesitates to act. I’ve had to stop recording multiple times while preparing this video.
That’s how devastating this case is. Yet, Teagan’s story must be told. Her voice was silenced, but by learning what happened to her, we might save another child. At the end of this video, you’ll see portions of the actual court proceedings where the raw emotions of everyone involved reveal just how profoundly this tragedy affected them.
This is the story of a little girl who deserved protection, but was failed by every adult who should have kept her safe. In a quiet corner of North Carolina, the story of Teagan Skiba began like many others. A young mother meeting a man, the birth of a child. What happened next turned into a tragedy that shocked everyone and brought even experienced police officers, doctors, and judges to tears.
Friends, while you’re watching this story, please write in the comments what time of day you’re viewing this video. This will help me understand when it’s best to publish similar materials. And please, don’t forget to subscribe to the channel so more people can learn about this story. On July 6th, 2006 in Raleigh, North Carolina, 26-year-old Helen Reyes gave birth to a girl who was named Tegan Alyssa Skiba.
A healthy baby with brown eyes and dark hair became the center of the family’s attention. They affectionately called her TG. The little girl grew up healthy and happy, but her parents’ relationship was troubled. Helen had met Jerry Skiba a year earlier at an Applebee’s restaurant. Their relationship developed quickly and soon Helen became pregnant.
Shortly after Tegan’s birth, Jerry became physically abusive and the couple separated. After the breakup, Jerry made little effort to stay in his daughter’s life and was later arrested for drug trafficking. Despite her father’s absence, Tegan was surrounded by love. Jerry’s parents, Gerald and Sarah Skiba, gladly became loving grandparents trying to fill the void left by their son.
They not only helped Helen with child care, but also created a real connection with the little girl. Tegan grew into a bright, loving girl. She adored princesses and the color purple. She had a special love for nature. She loved playing in her grandmother’s garden, catching butterflies and ladybugs.
Her grandfather recalled, “We felt so good just being around her.” Tegan had a heart of gold. She cared even for her toys every night before bed. She carefully covered all her stuffed animals with blankets to keep them warm and cozy. When she wasn’t caring for her toys, she loved making necklaces from beads. It was impossible not to admire little Teagan, who loved so much and wanted to be loved in return.
If the decision had been left to the Skiba family, they would have taken custody of their granddaughter to provide her with a happy life she deserved. Unfortunately, Helen Ray had other plans. After breaking up with Jerry, Helen remained single for a while. Everything changed in early 2010 when she met 21-year-old Jonathan Douglas Richardson.
Like her ex, Jonathan had a problematic past with convictions for assault, property damage, and drunk driving. Jonathan didn’t hide his bad temper. According to relatives, he often shouted and cursed at Helen, who became quiet and timid around him. Despite all the signs that she had moved from one tyrant to another, Helen allowed herself to get even deeper into this relationship and without hesitation gave him access to her daughter.
Soon after their relationship began, Helen started distancing herself from the Skiba family. Suddenly, she stopped answering their calls and messages, cutting off the people who played a key role in raising Teagan. This devastated the Skibas and they tried to find legal ways to get custody of Teagan, but North Carolina law made it difficult.
Helen also quarreled with her own parents. Around June 2010, Helen and her mother Maria had a serious argument, after which Helen decided to move out and live with Jonathan permanently. Abruptly taking Teagan away from her support system for a new man was extremely irresponsible. The relationship was new.
Helen knew little about this man or how he would treat her daughter. What Helen did know was how Jonathan treated her with shouting and aggression. Nevertheless, she decided to move in with him. Despite a major problem, Jonathan lived in a converted shed in his grandparents’ backyard. The tin-roofed structure, measuring 20 by 20 ft, was located approximately 150 ft from the main house.
The shed might have been suitable for a single young man, but was completely unsuitable for a 3-year-old child. It had electricity, but no running water or toilet. The inhabitants of the shed often simply defecated inside it. It also had no kitchen. In the shed, Helen, Jonathan, and Teagan slept together on a single air mattress on the floor.
According to neighbors, Teagan’s time in the shed wasn’t completely miserable, at least at first. They remembered seeing her playing outside. Helen spoke well of Jonathan’s relationship with her daughter, calling him a father figure. She said, “He was stern with her at times, but showed that he loved and cared for her.
I trusted him and his word.” Teagan said she really liked him and wanted him to be her daddy. This was a fabricated version of reality that Helen convinced herself of. Real life in the shed was much darker. Jonathan had an uncontrollable temper, which caused him to lash out at Helen and his family. Even his grandmother admitted she was afraid of him.
His violent behavior extended to everyone in his life, including 3-year-old Teagan. Helen claimed she tried to set boundaries on how Jonathan treated her daughter, but her actions showed otherwise. Once, he put a cigarette in Teagan’s mouth and placed a beer can in front of her, photographing the scene. Although Helen scolded him for this, it didn’t stop Jonathan.
Even worse, Teagan, who was only 3 years old, was allegedly often forced to drink alcohol. Living in the shed without proper facilities. Tegan regularly had toilet-related accidents. Without water or a toilet, the little girl had no other choice. She often slept in her soiled clothes, deprived of basic dignity. Instead of solving the problem of poor living conditions, Jonathan punished her for these incidents.
Tegan also began experiencing unexplained injuries when she was left with Jonathan. Once, when Helen returned from a trip to the store, she found Tegan with a cut on her head. Jonathan claimed the girl had fallen off her bicycle. Another time, after a beach trip, Tegan had an injured eye, which Jonathan explained was caused by a wave.
Perhaps most troubling was the time Helen returned home to find Tegan covered in welts. According to Helen, “I went inside, grabbed her, hugged her, and told her that I loved her. He told me that he had whipped her for throwing up on his chair. He beat her with an electrical cord.” And I went inside. And I grabbed her, and I held her, and I told her I loved her.
And I asked was she okay. I was angry. I was outraged. I was ready to leave. I wanted to go. I told him never to touch Tegan to discipline her like that. Helen insisted she was against this violence and argued with Jonathan every time it happened. Nevertheless, she continued to keep Tegan near him and often left them alone together.
If Tegan’s story has touched you as much as it has touched me, please share this video with your friends on social media. Perhaps this will help someone notice signs of child abuse and intervene in time. A simple repost could save someone’s life. In July 2010, Helen Reyes needed to find someone to look after Tegan while she underwent 10 days of training in the US Army Reserve in New Mexico.
She had several options, including Tegan’s loving grandparents or her own parents. Instead, Helen chose Jonathan. When he volunteered to look after Tegan, Helen immediately agreed despite knowing about his cruelty towards her daughter. On July 5th, 2010, just 1 day before Tegan’s fourth birthday, Jonathan drove Helen to her military training location, and Tegan was with them in the car.
The little girl said goodbye to her mother, not knowing she was seeing her alive for the last time. On the way back, Jonathan stopped at Lowe’s, where he bought a latch and padlock items that were later found on the shed door, obviously to keep Tegan locked inside and others out. As expected, Jonathan didn’t suddenly become caring when he took responsibility for Tegan.
Instead, he subjected the little girl to 10 days of torture so cruel that it later brought hospital staff and police officers to tears. I observed numerous cuts. I just couldn’t bear to look at it anymore. And I asked him to stop. You asked the doctor to stop. I asked the doctor to stop, tell him that was enough. I couldn’t look at it.
I couldn’t bear it to see it anymore. It immediately brought tears to my eyes. It’s the most horrifying thing I’ve ever seen done to a human being, especially a child. I’ve never seen anything like that in the years that I’ve been doing this as a law enforcement officer. On the first day after Helen’s departure, Jonathan began establishing rules for Tegan.
Since there was no toilet in the shed, he demanded that the girl, who had just turned 4 years old, use a bucket. When she had an accident, normal for a child her age, Jonathan flew into a rage. He tied her hands to a crossbeam and began whipping her with an electrical cord. Tegan’s thin skin couldn’t withstand the blows, and soon bloody stripes appeared on her.
Blood stains remained on the mattress where the girl slept. He forced her to repeat over and over, “When I need to use the toilet, I promise I will tell someone.” In the evening, when she finally fell asleep, exhausted from pain and fear, Jonathan sent Helen a photo of sleeping Tegan clutching a bloodied T-shirt to her chest.
The caption read, “Everything’s okay.” Helen, being far away, didn’t ask any questions. On the second day, Jonathan began showing even more cruel forms of violence. He forbade Tegan from using the bathroom in the main house, turning the child’s natural needs into a reason for punishment. Finding that Tegan had wet the mattress again, he became furious.
This time, he didn’t limit himself to beatings. Grabbing pliers, he held Tegan’s tiny fingers, preventing her from pulling her hand away, and then inserted something under her fingernail and sharply jerked upward until the nail tore off. The girl’s screams only excited him more. By the end of the day, she had lost several fingernails, and her fingers had turned into a bleeding mass.
The investigation would later discover traces of various biological fluids on Tegan’s underwear, including semen, clear evidence that sexual abuse had become part of her torment from the very first days. On the third day, July 8th, the temperature in the shed reached 108° Fahrenheit. In this stuffy, hot box, Tegan cried from thirst.
Jonathan devised a new torture. He placed a bowl of water in front of her, but forbade her from drinking. “Dogs lap with their tongues.” He laughed, watching the 4-year-old child suffering. When Tegan, tortured by thirst, leaned towards the bowl, trying to scoop water with her lips, Jonathan suddenly bit her ear, leaving a ragged wound.
This was not the last bite. By the end of the 10 days, her body had 66 human bite marks. Some so deep, they reached muscle tissue. In some cases, he literally tore off pieces of flesh with his teeth. That same evening, Jonathan made her stand facing the wall with her arms raised, repeating over and over the same phrase, “When I need to pee, I promise to tell someone.
” At some point, he began recording this humiliation on camera, taking a 37-second video of her suffering. In the recording, exhausted Tegan, in a pink shirt and dark pants, stands with her arms stretched out, facing the wall, and monotonously repeats the phrase. Jonathan interrupts her, shouting at her to speak louder.
Apparently frightened, she repeats the phrase four more times, this time louder. By the fourth day of torture, Tegan’s body was already covered with wounds and bruises. Jonathan began devising new forms of torment. He discovered that an exposed electrical cord could be used not only for striking, but also for more sophisticated torture.
He wrapped the exposed cord around Tegan’s neck and briefly plugged it into an outlet. Electric current ran through the child’s body, causing convulsions and leaving spiral-shaped burns on her skin. When Tegan screamed, calling for her mama, Jonathan slammed her head against the wall, demanding silence. Later, the investigation would discover audio recordings of these tortures, where Teagan’s desperate cries can be heard, “Mommy, help.
” And Jonathan’s rough response, “Quiet, bitch.” Followed by the sound of a blow. Each day, Teagan’s body received new injuries on top of still unhealed old ones, multiplying the pain. A doctor, who later testified at the trial, would note that such layering of new injuries over old ones is a sign of sadistic gratification, causing pain again and again to the same places.
On the fifth day of Teagan’s confinement in the shed, Jonathan seemed to become increasingly obsessed with documenting her suffering. He recorded videos of the girl, weakened from hunger, thirst, and pain, begging for mercy. In one of the videos, taken on the night of July 10th, Teagan stands near the wall, her hands tied with rope, raised up so that she barely touches the floor with her feet.
Jonathan forces her to repeat phrases about how she will tell him when she needs to use the toilet, yelling at her when she speaks too quietly. During this time, while little Teagan was suffering, Jonathan continued to lead a normal life. He exchanged messages with two women on social media, flirting and arranging meetings, completely ignoring the agony of the child locked up just meters away from him.
By the sixth day, Teagan was already in a semi-conscious state. Her body couldn’t withstand the constant abuse. Despite this, Jonathan found new ways to torture her. He invented a game in which he tied Teagan by her hands to a ceiling beam and swung her like a pendulum. While doing this, he tried to hit her stomach with a rod with each swing.
Neighbors later reported that they heard strange noises from the shed, but no one did anything about it. Jonathan’s grandmother once approached the shed and noticed that the doorsteps were soiled with feces. She knocked on the door and heard her grandson sharply order Teagan not to approach the door.
No one answered and she left without taking any further action. Later, during the autopsy, 37 rib fractures were discovered on Teagan, some of which were in the process of healing. This meant that ribs were broken at different times throughout those terrible days. The blows to her body were so strong that they caused multiple bone fractures.
By this time, the shed had turned into a place of unimaginable horror. A strong smell of urine and feces permeated everything around. Teagan was deprived of the ability to maintain basic hygiene. Her body was covered with excrement, blood, and other secretions. Jonathan seemed to enjoy creating such conditions, denying the girl even basic human dignity.
By the eighth day of torture, Teagan had lost more than 70% of her blood due to numerous wounds. Her body was so exhausted that she barely responded to the world around her. But even in this condition, Jonathan didn’t stop abusing her. He used various objects, including sticks and metal tools, to cause her pain.
Fragments of copper wire were later found in Teagan’s skin, indicating that he had stuck exposed wires into her body. The sexual abuse also intensified. Medical experts would later discover extensive damage to the girl’s intimate areas, indicating violent abuse with various objects. Mixed biological fluids were found on her underwear, confirming the fact of sexual assault.
By the ninth day, Teagan was on the brink of life and death. Her body was fighting with its last strength, but her chances of surviving such treatment were practically non-existent. The girl didn’t even have the strength to cry. She lay motionless, completely at the mercy of her torturer. On July 16th, 2010, just a week and a few days after her fourth birthday, Teagan defecated on the air mattress that she shared with Jonathan.
This sent him into a rage. He grabbed an electrical extension cord and began whipping her, hitting her head with such force that she lost consciousness. The blow was so terrible that it actually split her skull. Brain matter began leaking through her ears. The internal hemorrhage in her brain was incompatible with life.
Realizing that he had gone too far, Jonathan took her unconscious body and drove her to the hospital. However, he didn’t do this immediately. He waited more than 3 hours before delivering her to Johnston Medical Hospital. Upon arrival, he lied. Teagan had allegedly been jumping on the bed and fell, hitting her head.
He claimed that he had given her an ice pack and brought her to the hospital only when her head continued to hurt. But the girl’s tortured body told a completely different, horrifying story. When the medical staff saw Teagan’s condition, they were shocked. Her body had more than 140 wounds, including cuts, injuries, torn wounds, whip marks, scabs, scars, and bruises.
66 human bite marks covered her from head to toe. Some so deep, they reached muscle tissue. Her wrists were broken. Her intimate areas showed signs of bruising and bleeding. The cumulative trauma had caused Teagan to lose more than 70% of her blood. The internal injuries were even more serious. The wounds to her head had caused both swelling and bleeding in her brain.
According to one of the doctors who treated her, practically there was not a single part of her body that had been spared, something he had never seen in 25 years of medical practice. And then they unwrap the blanket. Um and you see the rest of her body and you’re just shocked. When they unwrap the sheet, it became very clear that this person had been suffering for a long period of time and I was not prepared for that.
All of a sudden it sort of hit me and um you know, I got sort of upset again cuz I realized, “Oh my gosh, the reason why her blood count is so low is not from the bleeding in her brain, but it’s from all these wounds.” I took the time to carefully count every single injury that was cited on um Teagan’s autopsy report and she had more than 144 injuries.
Um that is an extraordinarily high number of injuries and it’s not the kind of These are not the kind of injuries that will typically occur with a one-time loss of control. This is a carefully calculated form of abuse and typically is going to be um of a significant duration in the child’s life. I didn’t have one bite mark to look at.
I looked at many, many bite marks covering that lady’s that little girl’s body, not one. And those bite marks were good bite marks. We had six upper and six lower teeth in many cases. In some cases we had eight upper and eight lower teeth. When nurse Mary Butler first saw Teagan’s injuries, she was so shocked and enraged that she directly lunged at Jonathan.
Sensing her disbelief, he tried to leave saying he needed to move his truck. Butler, realizing he was trying to escape, chased after him. She managed to grab him by the throat and physically dragged him back to the emergency room. Butler’s brave actions allowed police to quickly take Jonathan into custody.
And at that point, I just couldn’t take anymore. And so, I looked at him. And I looked at him and I just I said, “Oh my god.” Once Mary said, “Oh my god.” She turned and looked at him and said, “What did you do?” And at that point, what did the defendant How did he respond at that point? The defendant rose up out of the chair and said, “I have to move my truck.
” So, I took off after him. And I chased him down. You did You chased him down? I was running for everything I was worth. I caught him from behind. I caught him by the throat. And I swung him around and I started pushing him for everything I was worth. I was trying to get him back to the ER. She even demonstrated her moves on prosecutor Greg Butler.
She said she directed Richardson to a room. Fueled by anger and adrenaline, she recalled asking for a gun when uniformed officers arrived. want to do what needs to be done right here, right now. Meanwhile, the medical staff desperately worked to save Teagan’s life. Her condition was so critical that she was soon transferred to UNC Medical Center in Chapel Hill and placed on life support.
Despite all the doctors’ efforts, Teagan’s condition continued to deteriorate. On Monday, July 19th, 2010, at 6:30 p.m., Teagan Skiba was pronounced dead. Her death was classified as homicide. When police began their investigation, they discovered a real torture chamber in the shed. Among the evidence found, bloody clothing, a tape recording of Teagan pleading for mercy, numerous instruments of torture, including a broken electrical cord with bare copper wires, and numerous blood stains throughout the room.
DNA analysis confirmed that more than 30 items found in the trash-littered shed contained Teagan’s blood. Among the items on which blood traces were found were underwear, pants, a sleeping bag, a pillowcase, and even a stick. Everything indicated that the little girl had experienced real hell during those 10 days.
The last words of Teagan that others heard were a plea, “I won’t ask to go to the toilet anymore.” A tragic testimony to how her human dignity was completely trampled by her torturer. Jonathan Douglas Richardson was initially charged with child abuse and sexual assault of a child. After Teagan’s death, a charge of first-degree murder was added.
Helen Reyes returned home the day after Teagan was hospitalized. She was allowed limited visits to her daughter in the hospital while the investigation was ongoing. The Wake County Child Protective Services determined that Helen had failed to protect her daughter and entrust her to a suitable guardian before leaving for training.
On July 29th, 2010, Helen Reyes was charged with child neglect. Jonathan behaved unnaturally calmly from the moment he arrived at the hospital. When doctors informed him of Teagan’s death, he simply sighed as if receiving insignificant information. During questioning, Jonathan claimed he was bathing Teagan, but briefly went to the kitchen for a beer.
In his absence, he heard a dull thud and assumed that Teagan had hit her head on the bathtub. However, the investigation soon discovered that reality was completely different. They’re in an interview room. Sandy Creech calmly coaxes her 21-year-old son to tell her what happened. Jonathan Richardson says the day before Teagan fell off the bed and hit her head.
Says she had a knot. She seemed fine, but mom says it’s very bad. Her brain is swollen. Her body is shutting down. Richardson says the only thing he did was pop Teagan in the leg with a power cord. Says he felt awful about it. Mom has already heard about some of the wounds on Teagan, the signs of sexual abuse. She says she’s praying to God that Teagan pulls through.
Richardson paces. He breathes heavily. In the room, Richardson makes a phone call to his then girlfriend, Helen Reyes, telling her how much he adored Teagan. He goes on to say he wanted to raise a family, be a good dad. Richardson says he popped Teagan on the leg when she misbehaved, but says he was surprised when detectives told him she had broken bones.
Doctors have testified that Teagan had severe bite marks and wounds all over her body. Richardson talks about needing help. Sobbing, he tells Reyes that it was all an accident. I didn’t mean to do that. And I didn’t hurt her again. The forensic examination determined the cause of Teagan’s death as blunt force trauma to the head and the manner of death was classified as homicide.
Now, the the other injuries certainly could have caused death later if they, you know, if she uh they’d been infected and she could have gotten septic, but the head injury is is what led to the death. The the skin injuries uh pro- appropriately treated would not have caused the death. The examination also revealed signs of multiple injuries indicating severe abuse.
All medical data completely contradicted the father’s version of an accident. While in custody, Jonathan displayed troubling behavioral problems. He incited other inmates to do his dirty work, threatened to stab a guard with a knife, and even made a shiv from his toothbrush. He also began throwing his own feces at staff.
If you’ve read this far, I ask you to do one important thing. Press the subscribe button and turn on notifications. Teagan’s story needs to be heard so similar tragedies don’t repeat. Your subscription will help spread this information and possibly save someone’s life. The trial of Teagan Skiba became one of the most thoroughly documented in the state’s history.
Thanks to the judge’s permission to make a complete video recording of all sessions, we have a unique opportunity to see all the details of this unprecedented case. It is demanded that we all look into the abyss. The abyss, the dark place. It’s how prosecutor Paul Jackson repeatedly referred to Jonathan Richardson.
He’s the man accused of torturing Teagan Skiba for 10 days as he babysat her inside the shed they lived in. Doctors say she had bite marks and whip marks all over her body. And it didn’t end until he beat her brain so badly that she lost consciousness never to return, never to see the outside of that shed. That’s when Richardson took the 4-year-old to the hospital.
His lawyers argue that Richardson came from an abusive upbringing, had no experience dealing with children, and suffered from an anxiety disorder. And this anger did not just happen in some type of vacuum. There are reasons behind it. It’s a sign about something terribly gone wrong. Defense lawyer said Richardson never intended to kill Teagan.
He tried to save her life. We have never denied that Jonathan was the one who caused the death of Teagan. They said it was a single injury, head trauma, that killed the child, not a chain of actions. What you have in this situation is a point where Mr. Richardson apparently came to his senses and realized what he had done.
But prosecutors said Richardson knew just what he was doing. He’s not drunk. He’s not impaired. He’s living out his sadistic desire. And he’s got her to come back to to continue abusing every time. There was never a break in the chain for her. Never. He didn’t know what he was doing was wrong? Are you kidding me? Are you kidding me? All right, we’ll come to order with the record to reflect the presence of the defendant both of his attorneys, all of state’s counsel, counsel I’ve been told by the bailiff that there’s been a knock
at the door and the jury has indicated it has reached a unanimous decision. Speaking to all spectators in the courtroom, uh please understand uh uh there is a The court fully appreciates there’s a lot of interest in the case and uh a lot of emotion in the courtroom, but I will not tolerate any outbursts.
If you do not believe you can handle the verdict and the sentencing recommendation, regardless of what it is, please leave now. All right, Sheriff, escort the uh jurors in and have them put the uh verdict form in the envelope, please. And speaking to the sheriffs at the rear of the courtroom, I don’t want people coming in and out of the courtroom while the verdict is being taken, please.
Okay. Yeah, just wait. Mhm. Let’s have the record reflect the presence of all 12 jurors with the uh foreman of the jury, please stand. Uh has the jury reached a unanimous
sentencing recommendation? Yes. Have you recorded the answer to the issues in the sentencing recommendation on the uh verdict sheet? Yes. Did you also date and sign the verdict sheet? Yes. Leaving it in the envelope, if you would hand it to our sheriff. Madam clerk, you may take the verdict.
In 10 CRS 54426, the state of North Carolina versus Jonathan Douglas Richardson. We the jury return with the answers for the issues submitted and recommendation for punishment. Issue one. Do you unanimously find from the evidence beyond a reasonable doubt the existence of one or more of the following aggravating circumstances? Answer, yes.
Was this murder committed while the defendant was engaged in the commission of a sexual offense? Yes. Was this murder committed while the defendant was engaged in the commission of kidnapping? Yes. Was this murder especially heinous, atrocious, or cruel? Yes. Issue two. Do you find from the evidence the existence of one or more of the following mitigating circumstances? Answer, yes.
Issue three. Do you unanimously find beyond a reasonable doubt that the mitigating circumstance or circumstances found is or are insufficient to outweigh the aggravating circumstance or circumstances found by you? Yes. Issue four. Do you unanimously find beyond a reasonable doubt that the aggravating circumstance or circumstances you found is or are sufficiently substantial to call for the imposition of the death penalty when considered with the mitigating circumstance or circumstances found by one or more of you? Answer, yes.
We the jury unanimously recommend that the defendant Jonathan Douglas Richardson be sentenced to death signed the 3rd day of April, 2014 by the foreperson. If these are your answers and recommendation, so say you all by raising your right hand. All right, first reflect all 12 jurors have raised their hand. Madam Clerk, please poll the jury as to issue one two, three, four and sentence recommendation.
I’ve just asked the sentence recommendation. And if that reflects the finding of the polling of each juror in the affirmative, and ask the clerk that the sentencing recommendation be returned by the foreperson jury has a sentencing recommendation. The jury was in fact that juror’s sentencing recommendation and it is still the juror’s sentencing recommendation.
The answers to all issues and sentencing recommendation of the jury is accepted by the court and is ordered by the court. Mr. Richardson, please stand. Yes, sir. Now, regarding the non-homicide offenses, do you have a sentencing worksheet? Yes, if I may approach the bench. Yes, please. Let counsel look at that.
And it’s on Yes, sir. Level two. Yes, sir. The level two. The court does find based on this review of the worksheet and based on the stipulation of counsel that the defendant’s prior record level two, level two points for the non-homicide offenses. State, can you be heard on any issue? Yes, sir. Now, is counsel getting heard on any issue at this time? On any issue related to the sentencing and non-homicide issues.
On any issue? Not at this exact moment. Getting heard on non-homicide? Yes, sir. On offenses? Not at that moment. Mr. Richardson, please stand. So, is there anything you’d like to say? Yes, sir. Madam Clerk, enter this judgment. The prisoner, Jonathan Douglas Richardson having been convicted of murder in the first degree by verdict of the jury duly returned at the term of the Superior Court of Johnston County, North Carolina.
And the jury having unanimously recommended the punishment death, it is therefore ordered by the judge that the same Jonathan Douglas Richardson be and he is hereby sentenced to death and the Sheriff of Johnston County, North Carolina, in whose custody the said defendant now is, shall forthwith deliver the said prisoner, Jonathan Douglas Richardson, to the Warden of the State’s Penitentiary of Raleigh, North Carolina.
He shall cause the said prisoner, Jonathan Douglas Richardson, to be put to death as by law provided. May God have mercy on his soul. This is the 3rd day of April, 2014. Thomas H. Lock, Judge presiding. As to the other offenses, ma’am, the clerk The defendant’s found the uh the jury rather has found the defendant guilty of the class B1 felony of first-degree sexual offense rather sexual offense of a child.
Class C felonies, uh first-degree kidnapping, and uh felonious assault and battery causing inflicting serious bodily injury, I believe it is. By record level two based upon a range of based upon a total of two points. Total of eight mitigating uh findings in aggravation. Yeah. Maybe it’s the kidnapping maybe D.
I’m not sure. Maybe the D. I believe C. I believe C. Okay. We we went through that. No findings in aggravation or mitigation. The term uh is limited to the presumptive range of sentences as authorized. I will check uh block number eight on the uh judgment form. But the offenses do involve the uh physical, mental, and sexual abuse of a child.
Having heard the evidence of our counsel, the statements of our counsel, evidence of our counsel, it is ordered that those charges are consolidated for judgment, that the defendant be imprisoned for a minimum term of 300 months, and maximum term of 369 months, in the custody of the North Carolina Division of Adult Correction.
That sentence is from the date of expiration of judgment and NC RS 5 426 as to that sentence from the date of expiration. Don’t forget costs. All right. Sheriff, he is in your custody. You can release the people. This way, Reverend. This way. Members of the jury, I certainly thank you for your service in this case.
This has been a very difficult case for me. Um I’m going to release you in just a moment. I need you to step back to the jury room. I have some other instructions for you. Uh please understand that the restrictions that have been imposed on you at this point here by order of the court are lifted.
You are free to discuss the case with anyone you’d like. You are not required to discuss the case. If you do, the attorneys would like to discuss the case with you. The case has certainly received a fair amount of interest in the press. There are members of the press and some other kind. Thank you. You are free to talk with them if you’d like. But again, you’re not required to.
That decision is entirely up to you. Uh there are a couple of administrative matters that I’d like to discuss with you. And then I’ll take you back to the jury room. Thank you again for your service. I realize this is not work that I particularly appreciate your close attention to our partners at all times. And if we go back to building, any materials and receipts that we collected and destroyed and no record matters like that.
I’m speaking on behalf of the jurors uh who um all stayed and just get the baggage to the back of the building before we join the others back in the back of the building because we will be back again. Back in the back of the building shortly. Share numbers with Mr. Richards’ family. Good luck and leave this time.
Take them out to the bookstore before you leave. Is this I I believe this is automatic, but just I just make clear on the record we want them to notice the appeal to the North Carolina Supreme Court. Notice of appeal uh Notice of appeal bond and the ruling of the Yes, sir. Anything else to state?
No, your honor. Anything else for the defense? Yes, your honor. Sheriff, this is General Court signing out. All rise. The trial of Jonathan Richardson is described as one of the most heartrending in North Carolina’s history. Jurors and courtroom staff repeatedly burst into tears. The judge often called recesses to allow witnesses who were overwhelmed with emotions to compose themselves.
Even the prosecution visibly struggled with emotions at times. Detective Matt DeSilva testified, “This is the most horrifying thing I have ever seen done to a human being, especially a child. I’ve never seen anything like this in all my years working in law enforcement.” Throughout the emotional proceedings, there was only one person who remained calm and collected, Jonathan Richardson.
The emotions that affected everyone else in the courtroom seemed to have no effect on him. He remained impassive during testimony, even smiling during breaks. Descriptions of Teagan’s suffering seemed to evoke no guilt, shame, or remorse in him. During a break in the proceedings, an observer noted, “Jonathan Richardson, accused of torturing and murdering the child, often smiles.
When the jurors returned, DeSilva testified that after his arrest, Richardson made a disturbing remark, “What are you going to do? Tie me down and cut me up.” The detective added, “He just looked straight at me and slightly smirked.” Particularly important in this recording is the testimony of forensic pediatrician Dr.
Sharon Cooper, who stated, “Tegan was a victim of child torture. She had more than 144 injuries. This is an extraordinarily high number of injuries. The presence of a new injury over an old injury will cause this child to have even more pain, and this would be another type of action that would strongly support sadistic gratification.
” The video also includes heart-wrenching moments when Papa Gerald and Grandma Sarah, Tegan’s grandfather and grandmother, were forced to leave the courtroom during this testimony because it was so graphic. After considering all the evidence and hearing witness testimony, the jury needed only 90 minutes to reach a verdict.
On April 4th, 2014, 25-year-old Jonathan Richardson was found guilty on all charges, including first-degree murder, first-degree kidnapping, first-degree sexual assault of a child, and child abuse resulting in serious bodily injury. Throughout the reading of the verdict, Jonathan remained impassive while his mother wept in the courtroom. The judge immediately sentenced him to death, the mandatory punishment for premeditated first-degree murder in the state of North Carolina.
Helen Hayes was found guilty of child neglect on March 6th, 2019, almost 9 years after Tegan’s death. She was sentenced to a minimum of 18 months in prison. Johnson County Sheriff Steve Bizzle commented, “She neglected her motherly duties. She had seen her child being beaten at the hands of Jonathan Richardson even before she left.
So, yes, she is guilty in this. Children are helpless. We have a so-called mother who just walked away.” Residents of Wake and Johnson counties were deeply shocked by Teagan’s case. Many considered not only Jonathan and Helen guilty, but also his grandparents who saw signs of abuse but didn’t intervene. The shed was only 150 ft from their home, and it’s hard to believe they didn’t hear the girl’s screams during 10 days of torture.
Teagan’s funeral was held privately. She was buried in Raleigh Memorial Park. Teagan’s grandmother and grandfather left a touching message on an online memorial remembering how she loved playing in the pool, how she called each morning a sunny day, and how she asked them to prepare maple oatmeal for her before playing outside.
Teagan’s story has become an important reminder of the need to protect children from abuse. Her short life ended tragically, but her story continues to serve as a call to action. If you see signs of child abuse, don’t stay silent. One call to child protective services could save a life. If Teagan were alive today, she would be 17 years old.
Instead, we can only remember her and strive to ensure that no child ever experiences the nightmare that she went through.
