A Philadelphia jury has convicted a mother and her boyfriend in the 2023 death of her 4-year-old son, a case that began with a missing-child investigation and ended with the discovery of the boy’s remains inside a duffel bag.
Dominique Bailey, 33, and Kevin Spencer, 33, were found guilty Monday of third-degree murder and several related offenses in the death of Bailey’s son, Damari Carter. The jury also convicted the couple of conspiracy, endangering the welfare of a child, abuse of a corpse and offenses involving false or fabricated evidence. They were acquitted of first-degree murder.
The case dates back to late 2023, when relatives became concerned after they had not seen Damari for several weeks. Family members said they last saw the child around his fourth birthday on Nov. 25.
Bailey later told relatives that her son had been struck and killed by a car. Investigators, however, found no evidence of a crash involving Damari.
The investigation intensified after police questioned Bailey in January 2024 and searched the Philadelphia home where she had been living with Spencer. Investigators later uncovered evidence that contradicted the story about a fatal traffic accident.
According to the evidence presented in the case, Bailey witnessed Spencer repeatedly assault Damari. The child suffered severe injuries, including a swollen head and darkened eyes. Investigators said Bailey realized her son had died when she went to check on him and attempted to kiss him goodnight.
Instead of immediately reporting the death, prosecutors said Bailey and Spencer worked together to create a false explanation for what had happened.
Surveillance footage became an important part of the investigation. Investigators said video showed Spencer leaving the home in Philadelphia’s Mantua neighborhood with a large duffel bag the day after Damari was believed to have been killed.
At the time, police had not yet recovered the child’s body.
That changed several months later.
On March 18, 2024, workers cleaning an area in West Philadelphia discovered a duffel bag in the 600 block of North 38th Street. Damari’s remains were found inside.
The case also raised concerns about warnings that had been made before the child’s death. During earlier court proceedings, a neighbor described hearing what sounded like repeated abuse coming from the apartment and said a report had been made to Philadelphia’s child welfare agency days before Damari died. Prosecutors later said the agency did not intervene before the fatal beating.
The trial brought renewed attention to the evidence gathered during the investigation, including surveillance footage and recordings related to the alleged abuse.
The jury’s verdict on Monday, Oct. 5, 2026, brought the nearly three-year case to a major turning point. While both defendants were convicted of third-degree murder, the jury did not find them guilty of first-degree murder.
Bailey and Spencer are scheduled to return to court for sentencing on Dec. 4, 2026. The sentencing will determine the penalties they face following their convictions.
For Damari’s family, the verdict closes one part of a case that began with questions about where a missing 4-year-old had gone and ultimately revealed a much different account of what happened to him.
