Lovingston
Nelson County, Virginia
Verbatim press release from Nelson County Sheriff’s Office:
“On December 10, 2024, Nelson County Deputies and Emergency Medical Services responded to a residence on Taylors Creek Road in Afton, Virginia, for an unresponsive six-week old child. Emergency Medical Technicians performed CPR for several minutes, and the child was transported to UVA Medical Center in Charlottesville for further treatment.
On December 14, 2024, the child was pronounced deceased at UVA Medical Center, and an autopsy was completed at the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner located in Richmond, Virginia. The autopsy results were finalized in March 2025.
On May 16, 2025, UVA Medical experts reviewed the UVA medical records, as well as the report from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. As a result, it was determined that the injuries that were present on the child on December 10, 2024, were consistent with child abuse.
On May 20, 2025, Investigators with the Nelson County Sheriff’s Office obtained arrest warrants for the biological parents of the deceased child. The parents are identified as Mr. Ethan Garfield and Ms. Autumn Woods.
On May 20, 2025, Mr. Garfield and Ms. Woods were taken into custody by Nelson County Deputies, and both have been charged with the following offenses:
18.2-371.1 Felony Child Abuse/Neglect
18.2-33 Felony Homicide
Mr. Garfield and Ms. Woods have both been held without bond, and they have been transported to the Albemarle Charlottesville Regional Jail.
Sheriff Mark E. Embrey”
