A 61-year-old man from North Carolina has been arrested and charged after allegedly abandoning a medically fragile, semi-blind woman in a freezing trailer without heat or electricity, leading to her death.
Victim left in freezing conditions
According to the Carteret County Sheriff’s Office, Blair Hamilton Hayes left 47-year-old Emma Jean Teague in a camper trailer on Wildwood Road in Newport in February 2025.
Investigators said the trailer had no heat or electricity, while outside temperatures dropped to the low 30s during the day and the 20s at night.
Instead of staying with Teague, Hayes reportedly checked himself into a nearby hotel during the same time period.
Emergency response and hospital treatment
On February 20, Hayes called 911 claiming Teague was “not well.” Emergency responders rushed her to Carteret Health Care Hospital, where she was admitted in critical condition.
Doctors determined her medical issues had been worsened by acute hypothermia caused by her living conditions. Despite treatment, she died on March 4, 2025.
An autopsy later confirmed the cause of death as end-stage cirrhosis of the liver, with hypothermia listed as a contributing factor.
Sheriff’s office: Neglect played a role
Investigators said Hayes acted negligently, knowing that Teague was medically fragile, partially blind, and unable to care for herself.
The sheriff’s office, after consulting with the district attorney, charged Hayes with involuntary manslaughter.
Other charges pending against Hayes
At the time of his arrest, Hayes also faced pending charges in Craven County, including assault on a female and assault on a disabled individual. Authorities have not confirmed if those charges involved Teague.
Hayes is currently being held in the Carteret County Detention Center on a $100,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in court on September 5.
