MCCOLL, SC (WBTW) – The Bennettsville father accused of killing his 1-month-old daughter by shaking her to death appeared in court Momday morning for the first time since his arrest.
The 1-month-old infant died at a North Carolina hospital Thursday, according to the Marlboro County Coroner’s Office.
An arrest warrant from South Carolina Law Enforcement Division says 18-year-old David Evege Garner, of Bennettsville, is charged with homicide by child abuse. Marlboro County Coroner Tim Brown says the baby girl died at Scotland Memorial Hospital in Laurinburg Thursday afternoon.
The parents of 1-month-old Kailey Garner took the infant to the McColl Rescue Squad Thursday for medical help, Brown reports. The rescue squad took the baby to Scotland Memorial Hospital for treatment, but Kailey died at the hospital, confirms Brown.
David Garner made his first court appearance Monday morning in the Marlboro County courtroom where several family members could be seen in attendance in support of the accused child killer. News13’s Nick Sturdivant was in the courtroom and says Garner’s supporters were visibly emotional and upset, with a few of them saying some encouraging words as Garner left the courtroom.
The court appearance was to take care of some initial paperwork and two more appearances were scheduled in Monday’s hearing. Garner’s next court dates were set for May 19 and June 16.
Brown says an autopsy was performed on the baby Friday at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, but the results haven’t been released. Brown says Kailey was born February 23, 2016.
The arrest warrant for David Garner says the man, “did cause the death of his child who was a month old. [David Garner] did so while committing child abuse by shaking the child violently.”
The abuse happened at a home on Stoneway Road in Bennettsville, according to the warrant.
The charge of homicide by child abuse carries a sentence of 20 years to life in prison if convicted.
