The Flomaton couple was extradited from Florida after their 15-year-old child arrived at a Pensacola hospital in critical condition.
FLOMATON, Ala. — Two Alabama parents have been returned from Florida to face attempted murder and child-abuse-related charges after their 15-year-old child was hospitalized in critical condition, according to police and local jail information.
Eric Douglas McClure, 41, and Cynthia Danielle Tedder, 36, are being held at the Escambia County Detention Center in Brewton on charges of attempted murder and torture and willful abuse of a child under 18 by a responsible person. Both were reported held without bond after being extradited to Alabama. Police have not publicly described the specific conduct they allege led to the charges, and the accusations have not been proven in court.
The investigation began early Sept. 1 after authorities in Florida contacted the Flomaton Police Department about a juvenile from the Alabama town who had been taken to Ascension Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola. Police said the department was notified at about 5:13 a.m. that the teenager was in critical condition. Information obtained after that notification led officers to begin investigating the circumstances surrounding the child’s condition.
Flomaton officers later obtained and executed a search warrant at the residence where the teenager lived on Titi Street. Police have not publicly disclosed what evidence was recovered during the search or provided a detailed account of the injuries or other medical problems that led to the teenager’s hospitalization. Authorities have said they are limiting the release of information to protect the juvenile’s privacy and the integrity of the continuing investigation.
Investigators initially obtained arrest warrants charging McClure and Tedder with torture and willful abuse of a child. Both were taken into custody in Pensacola and held in Florida while authorities arranged for them to be returned to Alabama. Police later added attempted murder charges against both defendants as the investigation developed.
Flomaton Police Chief Justin Hetrick said his department worked with Escambia County District Attorney Steve Billy before the attempted murder counts were added. Police said the additional charges resulted from newly obtained evidence and developments uncovered during the investigation. Authorities have not released details about that evidence or explained publicly what conduct they believe supports the attempted murder allegations.
Other children were also found at the Flomaton residence, according to local authorities. The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office confirmed to WEAR that those children were placed in the care of the Alabama Department of Human Resources. Officials have not publicly identified the children or released additional information about their conditions, and their privacy is being protected because they are minors.
A neighbor interviewed by WEAR said he had known the family for years and described poor conditions at the residence and concerns about the children’s cleanliness. Those observations are a witness account and have not been presented by investigators as findings about what caused the 15-year-old’s medical condition. Police have not released a complete account of conditions inside the home or said whether the neighbor’s observations form part of the criminal case.
McClure and Tedder initially appeared by video in Florida while awaiting extradition. By Sept. 6, both had been transferred to the Escambia County Detention Center in Brewton, bringing them back to the Alabama county where the criminal investigation began. Local reporting said both were being held without bond on the attempted murder and child-abuse-related charges.
The case involves agencies in both Alabama and Florida because the teenager was hospitalized in Pensacola while the residence under investigation is in Flomaton. Florida authorities assisted in taking McClure and Tedder into custody, while Flomaton police are leading the investigation into what happened before the child arrived at the hospital. The Escambia County District Attorney’s Office in Alabama has also been involved as the charges developed.
No newer public update on the teenager’s medical condition had been released as of Monday, and police have not disclosed whether the child remained hospitalized. Investigators also have not announced a public court schedule or released additional details explaining the attempted murder allegations. The Flomaton Police Department continues to describe the case as an active investigation.
Author note: Last updated September 8, 2026.