NC Man Charged After Ill Woman Left in Freezing Camper Dies From Cold Exposure

NEWPORT, NC — A 47-year-old woman died after being left in a freezing camper without heat or electricity, and a man is now facing involuntary manslaughter charges in connection to her death, authorities in Carteret County confirmed.

Woman Died From Cold-Related Complications

Emma Jean Teague was found critically ill in late February in an unheated camper on Wildwood Road in Newport, North Carolina. She later died on March 4 due to end-stage liver cirrhosis worsened by hypothermia, according to the Carteret County Sheriff’s Office.

Investigators say temperatures dropped into the low 30s during the day and into the 20s at night while Teague was left alone in the camper with no power, no heat, and no assistance.

Man Stayed in Hotel While Woman Suffered in Cold

Authorities allege that 61-year-old Blair Hamilton Hayes chose to stay in a nearby hotel rather than remain with Teague, despite knowing her condition was medically fragile. Hayes was reportedly aware of her mobility issues and partial blindness but still left her in conditions that investigators now say led directly to her death.

On February 20, Hayes returned to the camper and found Teague unwell. He called for emergency medical assistance, and she was transported to the hospital in critical condition. Despite treatment, she died less than two weeks later.

Manslaughter Charge Filed Following Lengthy Investigation

After a months-long investigation, the sheriff’s office arrested Hayes on August 12, charging him with involuntary manslaughter. Authorities described Teague’s condition as one of severe vulnerability and said she had “significant trouble ambulating on her own, in addition to some degree of blindness,” making her unable to care for herself during the freezing period.

Officials have not disclosed the nature of the relationship between Hayes and Teague, though both were residents of Newport, located about 140 miles southeast of Raleigh.

The tragic circumstances of Emma Teague’s death have drawn public attention to issues of elder care, homelessness, and medical neglect. The sheriff’s office has emphasized that no one — especially someone in a medically fragile state — should be left alone without basic utilities during winter conditions.

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