The latest. Basically nothing. I am hoping they are being carefully silent in order to have a firm case.
Pender sheriff still investigating child's homicide
PENDER COUNTY — Sixteen months after the death of Pender County 5-year-old Paitin Fields, authorities have put out a statement saying the hunt for the child's killer is “still a very active investigation.” Thursday afternoon, the Pender County Sheriff's Office released the statement on behalf of Sheriff Alan Cutler.
“We understand there are opinions circulating within and outside our community why no one has been charged in this case,” it read. “We continue to do everything possible to get justice for Paitin by keeping her case a priority so that her attacker may be brought to justice as soon as possible.”
On Nov. 13, 2017, Paitin was taken to Pender Memorial Hospital with complaints of seizure and an altered mental status, according to an autopsy report from the Chief Medical Exam-iner’s Office in Raleigh, released last year. Her family members reportedly told medical staff that the child had been sick for two days with respiratory problems.
According to the Medical Examiner's report, an ER nurse found “ligature marks on her neck, consistent with strangulation” and sent Paitin to the New Hanover Regional Medical Center for evaluation.
At NHRMC, doctors also found evidence that Paitin had been sexually assaulted, the autopsy report stated. The child died at the hospital on Nov. 16, and the Pender County Sher-iff's Office opened a homicide investigation.
Since then, detectives have publically identified one suspect: David Wesley Prevatte, 19, of Willard— Paitin's uncle.
The sheriff's office has not released the identity of other potential suspects. Prevatte's status in the case was released last June after he reportedly threatened Sgt. John Leatherwood, the detective in the Paitin Fields investigation, while Prevatte was being held in the Pender County jail on separate charges.
Prevatte remains in the jail on multiple charges, including intimidating a witness.
In the release Wednesday, officials reassured the public that they are still working with the office of District Attorney Ben David on the case. A statement from David's Office read, in part: “This case is very important to the District Attorney’s Office. Consistent with our policeprosecutor team approach, I have been apprised of the investigation since its early stages. The case remains under active investigation by the Pender County Sheriff's Office, and they continue to follow all leads in the case. We have conducted a critical case review of this case with senior prosecutors in our office and other law enforcement agencies. We will continue to review all evidence as it comes to light.”
Anyone with information in the death of Paitin Fields is asked to call the Pender County Sheriff's Office at 910-259-1212.
Cammie Bellamy
Star news march 22, 2019