FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (WNCN) — A Fayetteville mother is charged with murder in the death of her 9-year-old son, who was found unresponsive in a Fayetteville hotel room and later died Saturday morning, police say.
Crystal M. Matthews, 35, of the 6000 block of Whitemoss Court in Fayetteville is the biological mother of Zamarie Chance, who died at Cape Fear Valley Medical Center, Fayetteville police said in a news release.
“The investigation thus far has revealed Matthews assaulted the victim inside of a hotel room, causing fatal blunt force trauma injuries to the victim,” the news release said.
The incident was reported around 10:25 a.m. Saturday as a domestic disturbance at Fairfield Inn & Suites along the 4200 block of Ramsey Street, according to a news release from Fayetteville police.
Police said that a 911 call indicated a guest of the hotel heard a “physical disturbance” taking place on the third floor of the hotel, police said.
When police arrived, they found an “unresponsive juvenile” in a third-floor hotel room, a police news release said.
The boy, later identified as Zamarie Chance, was taken to Cape Fear Valley Medical Center, where he later died. Matthews was apprehended by police at the scene, officials said.
Matthews is charged with first-degree murder and felony child abuse. She is being held without bond at the Cumberland County Detention Center.