Teen charged with killing infant son

BRUNSWICK COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — A 19-year-old is in jail accused of killing his own baby.

The Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office arrested Randy Lee Richardson early this morning and charged him with first degree murder in the death of four-month-old Colton Richardson. Hours later he made his first appearance in front of a judge.

“I can tell you the young man is distraught and upset, as you can imagine any young boy, ’cause he is a boy, he’s 19 years old, would be,” Richardson’s attorney James Payne said.

Although investigators have not released details of how the baby died, they say the incident that led to his death happened May 28. Payne said the child died five days later.

“The child did not die in Shallotte,” Payne said. “The child was life-flighted to, I believe, to Chapel Hill.”

The baby’s great grandfather confirmed that the child was receiving care in Chapel Hill.

Richardson lived with his child’s mother and grandmother in Shallotte. Colton’s grandmother was so upset, she did not want to talk on camera.

“You can imagine the kind of burden it’s going to be, or the kind of distress it would be to any family whose lost a love one, particularly a baby,” Payne said.

Neighbors we spoke with did not personally know Richardson or his son, but they were upset hearing about of the child’s death.

“Oh, it breaks my heart,” neighbor Jeanette Scott said. “I just can’t understand why somebody would take a child’s life, especially that young.”

Richardson is in jail without bond. He’s due back in court July 9.