By Mike O’Neal
Staff Writer
Brian Rutherford, whom Hamilton County Sheriff John Cupp described as “a person of interest” in the ongoing investigation of the death of an 18-month-old girl, was arrested on unrelated federal charges Friday, an FBI official said.
Tim Burke, supervisor of the FBI’s Chattanooga field office, said agents arrested Mr. Rutherford Friday in Albany, Ga., on weapons offenses related to a car jacking situation.
Investigators have said Mr. Rutherford, 25, carried the toddler to a Dallas Bay fire station Tuesday while her mother, Traci Carpenter, 19, was taking a shower and told a paramedic that something was wrong with the little girl.
The sheriff said the little girl’s battered and bruised body was taken off life support Thursday afternoon, and she died at T.C. Thompson Children’s Hospital after tests determined she had been brain dead for at least 24 hours.
E-mail Mike O’Neal at moneal@timesfreepress.com
See tomorrow’s Chattanooga Times Free Press for full coverage.
