Publication date: August 24, 2022 • 13 hours ago • 1 minute read • 17 comments Dustin VanDyke and Gracie Riddle are charged with the first degree murder of their baby. The couple are cousins. Photo by Harnett County Detention Center

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The case of a North Carolina couple accused of murdering their baby has taken a twist: The child was an incest.

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Dustin VanDyke, 28, and Gracie Riddle, 18, of Erwin, NC, are cousins, a family member told WRAL.

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The infant’s remains were discovered after police received a tip from a family member about an unreported death. “I think this person came to a point where they came to their senses and they decided they needed to talk about it and tell somebody,” Erwin Police Chief Jonathan Johnson said of the coach. “It’s unfortunate that it took so long to finally get this information and closure, but there are still some questions that need to be answered,” he added. The baby’s age and gender have not been released, but investigators believe Riddle gave birth around Nov. 22 and the baby was killed soon after, WNCN reported.

We apologize, but this video failed to load. “It was pretty freaky,” Johnson said of the discovery, since all the detectives working on the case are either parents or expecting babies of their own. “This is one that will stay with us for a while.” The death does not appear to be accidental, according to police, but the cause remains under investigation. VanDyke and Riddle are charged with first degree murder.