UPDATE: Adoptive Parents to Face Charges In Parsons’ Death & Disappearance

SALISBURY, NC — The Rowan County Sheriff’s Office says it will charge the adoptive parents of Erica Parsons in her death and disappearance.

Autopsy results released Tuesday reveal the extent of the abuse the little girl endured. The Salisbury girl disappeared in 2011 but wasn’t reported missing until 2013 when her adoptive brother called investigators.

Her adoptive father finally led detectives to her grave in South Carolina in 2016.

Fractures riddled Erica’s body, her autopsy confirms.

It lists at least 19 breaks on bones, many with multiple breaks inflicted over a long period of time.

Her biological mother, Carolyn Parsons, spoke to WCCB Charlotte.

“The people I trusted to love and raise my child better than I thought I could at that time never cared. It was about money,” said Carolyn Parsons.

Her relatives, Casey and Sandy Parsons, adopted Erica.

The autopsy says siblings painted a graphic picture of what the couple did to Erica, including bending her fingers back until they broke, forcing her to eat dog food, locking her in a closet, even hitting her in the head until she had bald spots.

The autopsy is consistent with that.

The medical examiner report noted t “… siblings described her as looking grey with sunken eyes, smelling bad with open, oozing cuts, very weak and complaining of not being able to breathe.” the last time they saw her.

The report says she could have been suffering from “… untreated infection/sepsis… poisoning… all of which could have caused her death.”

The autopsy shows Erica had multiple breaks on her nose, jaw, a broken tooth, shoulder blade, nine rib fractures, broken arm, broken finger and four broken bones in her back.

The medical examiner says “…cause of death is homicidal violence of undetermined means.”

The sheriff’s office says the District Attorney will decide what criminal charges Casey and Sandy face.

“Casey and Sandy will get theirs,” said Carolyn Parsons. “There will be justice whether it be here on earth or whether it be when it’s their time to go.

The autopsy is unclear on Erica’s age when she died.

What is certain, she endured agonizing abuse.

“If her death can save one child from being assaulted, then my child didn’t die in vain,” said Carolyn Parsons.

Now, the autopsy and evidence go to the DA.

She’ll go over it, then meet with investigators to decide on charges.

Once that happens, the charges will likely go to a grand jury.

Casey and Sandy Parsons would then move from federal prison, back to Rowan County so deputies can serve warrants.