Man on Trial in 5-Year-Old Niece’s Death Says He Is Victim of a ‘Witch Hunt’

BURGAW, N.C. — Nearly nine years after the death of a 5-year-old North Carolina girl, her uncle is now on trial, accused of sexually assaulting and strangling her. But the man at the center of the case insists he is innocent, while his defense attorney argues that investigators turned him into the sole suspect in what he described as a “witch hunt.”

David Prevatte, 27, has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder, statutory rape of a child by an adult and statutory sexual offense with a child by an adult in connection with the death of his niece, Paitin Fields.

The case dates back to Nov. 13, 2017, when Prevatte carried the unconscious child into a hospital emergency room. Surveillance footage shown to jurors depicts him rushing through the hospital doors with Paitin in his arms.

Medical personnel immediately noticed injuries that raised serious concerns. Doctors found marks around the child’s neck, while medical staff also documented injuries in her genital area that prosecutors say were consistent with sexual assault. Paitin was declared brain-dead the following day and died on Nov. 15 after being taken off life support. Her organs were donated.

Prosecutors Point to the Hours Before Paitin Was Found

Prosecutors say the evidence surrounding Paitin’s final hours points toward Prevatte.

Assistant District Attorney Shirley Smircic told jurors that Paitin and her 7-year-old sister had been staying at the home of their grandparents, who were also Prevatte’s mother and stepfather. Prevatte had returned to the home only days before the child was found unconscious after an argument with his girlfriend.

According to the prosecution, Paitin’s older sister later reported seeing Prevatte near the couch where Paitin was sleeping during the early morning hours. The girl allegedly noticed something was wrong with her younger sister afterward.

The prosecution has argued that although there was no adult eyewitness to the alleged assault, the physical and medical evidence can help reconstruct what happened inside the home.

“Child sexual assault and murder does not occur out in the open,” Smircic told jurors, according to Court TV. She argued that the evidence, considered together, could speak for a child who is no longer alive to tell her story.

Defense Calls It a “Witch Hunt”

Prevatte’s attorney, Luther Johnson Britt III, presented a dramatically different account.

The defense maintains that Prevatte did not kill or sexually assault his niece and that investigators focused on him without adequately pursuing other possibilities.

Britt told jurors that his client became the target of a “witch hunt,” claiming that evidence was “twisted and turned” against him. He also challenged the reliability and timing of statements attributed to Paitin’s sister.

The defense has emphasized that a sexual-assault examination did not identify male DNA that could directly connect Prevatte to the alleged assault. Britt also questioned why the girl’s account of seeing Prevatte near her sister was not disclosed during earlier interviews conducted shortly after Paitin’s death.

According to the defense, those issues create reasonable doubt about whether Prevatte was responsible for the crime.

A Mother’s Emotional Testimony

One of the most emotional moments of the trial came when Prevatte’s mother, Lisa Hunt, took the witness stand.

Hunt testified that Paitin had been sick with a cough during the weekend before her death, but she did not have a fever. On the night of Nov. 12, she said, Paitin fell asleep and was later moved to a couch where her sister was also sleeping.

Prevatte returned home at approximately 10 p.m., according to his mother.

Hours later, Hunt said she discovered Paitin on the couch appearing to suffer a seizure. She described the child as pale and cold on one part of her body and hot on another. Hunt said she tried twice to reach 911 but could not immediately get through.

Prevatte and his stepfather ultimately drove Paitin to the hospital themselves.

Hunt testified that she did not see any injuries on the child when she found her. Her testimony contrasts sharply with that of medical personnel, who reported seeing injuries and signs of strangulation when Paitin arrived at the hospital.

Evidence From the 2017 Investigation Is Now Back in Court

Because the alleged crime occurred in 2017, jurors are being asked to examine evidence and witness accounts that date back nearly a decade.

The court has heard testimony about searches of the family home, forensic examinations and interviews conducted with Paitin’s sister over the years.

A forensic pathologist testified that Paitin’s cause of death was acute brain injury resulting from ligature strangulation. Investigators also presented evidence concerning injuries to the child and items recovered during searches of the home.

The defense, however, continues to argue that the investigation failed to establish a direct forensic connection between Prevatte and the alleged crimes.

Friends who were with Prevatte on the night before Paitin was found unconscious have also testified. Their accounts have focused on where Prevatte was and what he was doing during the hours leading up to the discovery of the child.

Trial Continues

The trial is expected to continue with additional witnesses and evidence as prosecutors attempt to establish their case and the defense works to undermine the allegations.

For the prosecution, the central question is whether the medical evidence, witness statements and circumstances surrounding Paitin’s final hours establish that Prevatte was responsible.

For the defense, the case remains one of reasonable doubt — and an accusation that investigators pursued the wrong man.

Prevatte remains presumed innocent unless and until a jury finds him guilty. The trial is ongoing, and no verdict has been reported as of the latest Court TV update.

Source: Court TV; Wilmington StarNews