Editor’s note: This story contains graphic testimony and descriptions of injuries to an infant that some readers may find disturbing.

ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — A retired Buncombe County sheriff’s detective testified this week about the 2022 investigation into the death of 12-week-old Riley Leshae Hannah Stephenson, explaining to jurors how early suspicions of child abuse led to murder charges against the infant’s father.

Tim Bradley, who retired as a senior detective after more than 30 years with the sheriff’s office, said he was on duty June 28, 2022, when he learned Riley had been found unresponsive at the family’s Four Wheel Drive home. First responders suspected abuse, prompting him to respond.

“When I arrived, Riley had already been taken to the hospital,” Bradley testified. “At that time, it was unclear to me if Riley was alive or had been pronounced.”

Bradley introduced himself to Riley’s father, 37-year-old Nickolas Shane Stephenson, and said he was struck by the man’s lack of visible emotion. Stephenson agreed to accompany detectives to the sheriff’s office, where he was told he was not in custody.

During the ride, Bradley recalled, Stephenson asked about the plastic interior of the detective’s vehicle and spoke about his past interest in acting.

“He was cooperative and said he understood why we wanted to speak with him,” Bradley testified.

Stephenson faces charges of first-degree murder and felony child abuse. A forensic pathologist testified earlier this week that Riley died from a combination of abuse, malnutrition, and pneumonia. Riley’s mother, 32-year-old Diandra Haleigh Fuhr-Farlow, has pleaded guilty to felony child abuse causing serious bodily injury.

At the sheriff’s office, Bradley said investigators recorded separate interviews with both parents. He noted that Stephenson’s interview room door was left open and that he was told multiple times he was free to leave. But as questioning progressed, medical evidence from Dr. Sarah Monahan-Estes, a child abuse pediatrician at Mission Hospital, contradicted Stephenson’s explanations.

“The injuries she had sustained were extensive,” Bradley told jurors. “His answers did not account for the medical evidence.”

Bradley said he conferred with Monahan-Estes and other doctors during the interview. Once it became clear Riley had suffered multiple fractures and injuries that could not be explained by Stephenson’s account, he determined the father was no longer free to leave and advised him of his rights.

Jurors were shown portions of Stephenson’s recorded interview. The judge instructed them that any accusatory statements made by detectives during questioning were investigative techniques, not evidence.

Meanwhile, Fuhr-Farlow, questioned separately by another detective, initially supported Stephenson’s version of events. As the interview progressed, however, Bradley said she began describing violent acts she said she had witnessed him commit, including twisting and shaking motions she demonstrated with her hands.

Her accounts matched injuries already documented on Riley’s body, including broken ribs, fractures in her arms and legs, and bruises and burns on her face and head. A preliminary review suggested about 12 healing fractures, though the number rose to as many as 17 after the autopsy.

“At the end of the night, I charged Mr. Stephenson with second-degree murder and Ms. Fuhr-Farlow with felony child abuse resulting in death,” Bradley said. Those charges were later upgraded to first-degree murder after the full autopsy review.

Bradley also testified about a follow-up interview with Fuhr-Farlow, conducted at prosecutors’ request and in the presence of her attorney, Jack Stewart. She provided additional details, some consistent with her courtroom testimony and some differing from earlier statements. She revealed, for example, that a baby wipe had been shoved down Riley’s throat — a detail not included in her initial account.

Despite some changes, Bradley said her statements consistently described Stephenson assaulting the infant and her attempts to intervene after hearing “thumping noises” while she was in the shower.

“What did change,” Bradley said, “was how she described her feelings about Mr. Stephenson.” He testified she initially portrayed him as a loving partner but later described him as controlling and said he prevented her from seeking medical care for Riley.

Bradley discussed investigators’ review of the parents’ cell phones and other physical evidence collected from the home. He said Stephenson’s phone contained little evidence directly related to the case, noting few, if any, photographs of the child.

The detective oversaw some evidence collection at the home. When asked if items were sent to a lab to determine whether stains were blood, he said they had not. Bradley explained that at the time, the process for submitting evidence was transitioning from individual investigators to a full-time crime scene unit.

Investigators noted that some stains resembled substances such as cough medicine or other medications administered to the child. While they appeared similar to blood, Bradley said the circumstances in the home — including the presence of both parents and the child’s location — did not prompt immediate lab testing.

Bradley also reviewed photographs of Riley taken in a bassinet. The images showed the infant lying with her head down, with visible injuries including dry blood inside her nose and bruises in her mouth. No rashes consistent with abuse were observed.

The detective said the photographs contributed to his understanding of the child’s condition but emphasized that the physical evidence and cell phone content offered limited investigative leads.

Cross-examination

During cross-examination, Bradley addressed the handling of stains observed in the home, noting that they were not sent to a lab because investigators believed some could be from medications. He explained that the evidence submission process was transitioning to a full-time crime scene unit at the time.

Bradley reviewed photographs and cell phone content again, saying they helped him understand Riley’s condition but provided limited investigative leads. He emphasized that detectives are trained to remain impartial and objective, avoid leading questions, and not apply undue pressure to witnesses.

He explained the investigative approach during interviews with Fuhr-Farlow, including questions intended to elicit truthful information about the baby’s injuries. Bradley said he sometimes used tactics, such as hypotheticals about whether Fuhr-Farlow was lying, to encourage her to provide complete and accurate details.

For example, when Fuhr-Farlow asked, “What do I have to do?” Bradley said he told her, “You need to tell me the truth. That’s all I need.” He explained that this approach was part of standard investigative technique developed over decades and aimed solely at uncovering the truth. He said the goal was not to coerce or suggest answers but to understand the sequence of events that led to Riley’s injuries.

Bradley also described the dynamics of the interviews, noting that Fuhr-Farlow initially portrayed Stephenson as a loving partner but later described him as controlling. He said her statements about being alone with the child and Stephenson never being alone were largely consistent, and her emotional responses indicated protection and fear.

He addressed follow-up interviews conducted in the presence of Fuhr-Farlow’s attorney, explaining that she had reviewed discovery materials and was aware of the investigation’s details. Bradley said he continued to ask questions to clarify inconsistencies, including the swing incident, the child’s care and attempts at CPR. He noted that throughout the interviews, Fuhr-Farlow provided information consistent with documented injuries, even when some details evolved over time.

The detective confirmed that while he sometimes implied consequences to encourage truthfulness, he never promised outcomes or legal immunity. He said the tactics were designed to elicit truthful accounts and ensure the investigation proceeded accurately.

Bradley also explained that he focused his investigation on the parents because the only other adult in the household — Stephenson’s father — had limited or no contact with the child, and there were no signs of alternative explanations, such as postpartum issues or medical conditions, contributing to the child’s injuries. He said all investigative decisions were guided by experience and the evidence available at the time.

Regarding inconsistencies in statements, Bradley said some arose from the natural stress of the interviews and the unfolding discovery process. He described reviewing transcripts and conducting follow-ups to confirm facts and ensure full disclosure from Fuhr-Farlow, always in the presence of her attorney.

Throughout, Bradley emphasized that his primary objective was to gather truthful information about the events leading to Riley’s death. He said that, based on the interviews, physical evidence, and medical findings, he concluded that the baby’s injuries were not accidental and could only have been inflicted while in the care of the parents.