BPR s Matt Bush speaks with Carolina Public Press lead investigative reporter Kate Martin.
Editor’s note: This article is Part 2 of a two-part investigative series. Part one can be read here.
For years, if sexual assault survivors in Cumberland County sought care, they could count on going to Cape Fear Valley Medical Center in Fayetteville, where the hospital’s highly trained and certified sexual assault nurse examiners would provide treatment and gather the forensic evidence needed for law enforcement to build a criminal case against their attacker.
About a year ago, advocates for sexual assault survivors noticed a staffing change, said Deanne Gerdes, executive director of Rape Crisis of Cumberland County.
The Fayetteville Observer
Police have identified a man who was found dead in a backyard on Slater Avenue early Tuesday and said a second man died after being shot.
Officers were called to the house on the 1800 block of the street just before 12:15 a.m. Tuesday after shots were reportedly fired in the area, according to a statement released by the Fayetteville Police Department. Trevonte Dawaine Parker, 24, of the 1100 block of Armadillo Drive, died. He had multiple gunshot wounds, the statement said.
Officers were still on the scene when they were notified that another shooting victim had arrived at Cape Fear Valley Medical Center by personal vehicle. Cortez Shadique Robinson, 20, of the 100 block of Hillview Avenue, had a gunshot wound to the chest and died while in surgery, according to the statement.
By Mark Starling
New COVID-19 Strain Found In NC
(Raleigh, NC) A new strain of COVID-19 is in North Carolina. Health officials confirmed on Saturday that the more-highly contagious strain was identified in a Charlotte-area adult. It s now been found in more than 20 states. There s no proof yet that the strain causes more severe symptoms, but it does spread at a higher rate.
Buncombe County Looking At Restaurant Capacity Again
(Buncombe County, NC) Indoor dining capacity may be increasing soon in Buncombe County. Commission chairman Brownie Newman will receive a briefing from health officials today, when he is expected to make a decision on the potential increase. The county s current capacity is at 30-percent, while the state s dining rule is 50-percent. Newman will allow a capacity rise if COVID-19 hospitalizations have stabilized or dropped.
Alicia Carter / Carolina Public Press
Editor’s note: This article is part 1 of a two-part investigative series from Carolina Public Press.
After a sexual assault, survivors have choices to make.
Do they seek help at a hospital? If they do, they might be in for a wait.
If they are lucky, they’ve arrived at a hospital with nurses who are trained to help sexual assault victims. Called sexual assault nurse examiners, or SANE nurses, these specialized medical professionals train for months to understand how to help a victim take care of her or his health after a traumatic experience.