Public Safety

An eight-month-old child was hospitalized Friday with an infection from a surgical incision, a broken bone and cocaine in his bloodstream Social workers and the sheriff’s office were contacted after the child was transferred from McLeod Loris to New Hanover Novant, according to the report. The child has undergone an operation for an abcess in his groin, and a surgical drain inserted in the incision. The drain had...

A female infant has died after being airlifted to Cape Fear Valley Medical Center with what investigators called “extreme abuse.” The sheriff’s office was contacted by the Department of Social Services Friday after the unresponsive infant was taken by EMS to Columbus Regional, according to a report. The child was in cardiac arrest when she arrived at the hospital. X-rays showed a “two to three weeks old” broken...

A Farmers Union man is dead and another is recovering after they apparently shot each other Saturday night in Farmers Union. Harry Hardie Jr., 37, was dead on the scene when deputies arrived at 126 Timber Creek Trail just before 10 p.m., according to the report by Sgt. J. Dicicco. Anthony Lee Jr., 31, was transported to an area hospital. Deputies were called to a report of a...