Mother charged in death of emaciated North Charleston infant

Janette Clayton, 27, has been charged with homicide by child abuse in the death of her 11-month-old daughter in North Charleston.

The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division announced the new charge on Friday. Clayton was previously charged with three counts of unlawful conduct toward a child. Her daughter, Nomai Weathers, was found dead on June 17 near the front doorway of their apartment. At the time of her death, the infant weighed 4 pounds and 13 ounces.

Court documents indicate Nomai was born prematurely and diagnosed with sickle cell disease. This condition required medically necessary appointments that Clayton allegedly failed to keep. The apartment where the child died was described as being in deplorable conditions. Officials reported the space was infested with cockroaches and flies. No food or child care supplies were found during the inspection.

An autopsy determined that Nomai died from starvation with acute bronchopneumonia due to neglect. The manner of death was ruled a homicide. The case also involved two North Charleston Police Department officers who had previously responded to the apartment. One officer was later fired and charged, while the other was reinstated.

Clayton is currently facing the homicide charge as the division leads the case. The initial charges of unlawful conduct remain part of the legal proceedings against the mother.