SALISBURY, N.C. — Many of us remember the moment 10 years ago Monday when Erica Parsons’ body was found in a shallow grave.
That grim discovery ended a three year search.
She endured a lifetime of abuse from her adoptive parents.
Channel 9’s Tina Terry covered the case extensively from the time Erica was reported missing.
People in Rowan County held a memorial for Erica Monday.
She was a young girl who was denied a chance at life, but all these years later, her memory may still be helping protect other children.
“It is a very sad case for a very innocent little girl. No child deserves to be mistreated,” said Erin Moody with the Terrie Hess Child Advocacy Center.
Erica was reported missing in 2013.
Investigators would eventually learn that she was killed years earlier in 2011, at the hands of her own adoptive parents after years of abuse.
“And so what we hope we can learn from Erica’s story is how do we go forward in her memory and make sure that doesn’t happen again to another child,” said Moody.
[ ALSO READ: The Erica Parsons Story: A Channel 9 special report ]
Part of Moody’s work is educating both children and adults about child abuse and how to stop and even prevent it from happening.
“Yes in North Carolina, if you’re over the age of 18, you are legally mandated to report suspicions of child abuse,” Moody said.
Despite the law, she says some adults still fail to report their suspicions.
“And a child can be left for years and years and years in an environment that is not safe for them,” said Moody.
Erica’s adoptive father Sandy Parsons eventually confessed to police that Erica was severely abused, locked in a closet, beaten with a belt buckle, choked, and even had her fingers bent back.
He said he dumped the girl’s lifeless body in some woods in South Carolina in 2011. Her remains weren’t discovered until 2016.
“I know there’s no way we can go back and change things for Erica,” Moody said. “But I think we move forward and make meaning for her memory by preventing this from happening again.”
In Erica’s case, Rowan County DSS received two reports about possible abuse.
The agency investigated.
Records show DSS found some neglect during the second investigation related to Erica’s medical needs.
On Monday, Moody said if you have concerns about a child, keep reporting them so authorities can take a closer look.
Sandy and Casey Parsons first went to prison on fraud charges for accepting adoption support money while Erica was missing.
After that sentence, Sandy began serving time for Erica’s murder. He got 33 to 43. years and is currently at Tabor Correctional Institution in eastern North Carolina.
He could get out in 2055 when he’ll be 81 years old.
Casey is currently in the women’s prison in Anson County. She’s now 51 and was sentenced to life without parole for killing Erica.