Death penalty sought in North Carolina child abuse death

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for a North Carolina man convicted of killing a 2-year-boy and who they say was the drug dealer and pimp for the child's mother.

The Winston-Salem Journal reports the sentencing hearing is scheduled to begin Monday for 33-year-old Charles Thomas Stacks of Winston-Salem. Stacks was convicted last week of first-degree murder in the death of Jaxson Sonny Swain in August 2015.

Evidence showed Stacks repeatedly slammed the child on the ground.

Prosecutors said Stacks was angry that Jaxson's mother owed him for drugs and that she left him alone with Jaxson and without any heroin.  They say Stacks whipped, kicked and hit Jaxson because he wasn't potty-trained and didn't call him "sir."

Prosecutors said Stacks was the pimp and drug dealer for Jaxson's mother.