Police find malnourished 5-year-old girl locked in closet under stairway in home

RANDLEMAN, N.C. -- (WGHP) -- Police found a malnourished 5-year-old girl locked in a small closet under a stairway at a home in Randleman, according to a press release.

On Sept. 12, Randleman police conducted a welfare check for a child at a home in the 200 block of Back Street. Officers were told the child was being physically and mentally abused.

Officers went to the home in an effort to locate the little girl. Upon arrival, they found no vehicles in the driveway and it appeared no one was there.

Officers knocked on the door and received no response, so they began calling the child's name. Once they began yelling, they received a response.

They first asked the child if she was OK and the girl replied with "no." Officers then asked if she needed help and she replied, "yes."

Officers then made entry through a front porch window and found the child locked in a two-foot by four-foot closet under a stairway. She had no food or water and appeared to be extremely malnourished with burns, scratches, and bruises all over her body.

The 5-year-old was taken from the home by a daycare employee. She was taken to Randolph Hospital and transferred to Brenner's Children's Hospital.

She is currently in the custody of the Randolph County Department of Social Services.

As a result, Adam Joshua Byrd, who is the child's father, and Crystal Dawn Carnahan, who is a child caretaker, were arrested.

Byrd is charged with assault with a deadly weapon serious injury, intentional child abuse serious physical injury and negligent child abuse serious physical injury.