A Chatham County woman and her boyfriend have been charged with murder after the woman’s infant son was found dead in Pittsboro last July.

Pittsboro Police said in a release on Thursday morning that 28-year-old Josalyn Upchurch, of Moncure, and 39-year-old Rickey Adams, of Durham have been charged with first-degree murder and felony child abuse.

Authorities responded to a 911 call about an unresponsive 1-year-old boy on July 16, 2017. The child was dead when police arrived, according to law enforcement.

An autopsy identified the cause of death as “blunt force trauma of the chest and abdomen,” officials said.

Authorities said Thursday that “numerous interview and further investigations” were conducted by Pittsboro Police and the State Bureau of Investigation leading to law enforcement obtaining warrants for the arrest of Upchurch and Adams.

Adams was arrested on Tuesday while being held on unrelated charges at the Durham County Detention Center, according to a release. He is now being held without bond. Upchurch and Adams made first appearances in Chatham County Court on Thursday, according to multiple reports.

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