HARTSVILLE, SC (WBTW) – An investigation into the death of a 2-month-old child has put two Hartsville parents behind bars Monday, according to state officials.
The Darlington County Sheriff’s Office reported a child fatality to South Carolina Law Enforcement Division on or about February 22, according to Sheriff Wayne Byrd. As a result of SLED’s investigation, agents discovered two children, a 2-month-old and 1-year-old, tested positive for illegal drugs.
Darlington County Coroner Todd Hardee says his office is waiting on toxicology results, which could take another month, before determining the cause of death of the infant.
According to a SLED report, Malinda LaShawn Phillips, 22, and Sharkill Ali Robinson, 33, were booked into the Darlington County Detention Center and face two counts of unlawful neglect of a child and possession of narcotics. The child neglect charge is a felony that carries up to 10 years in prison.
Arrest warrants for the suspects state both parents placed the two children “at an unreasonable risk of harm, which affected [their] physical health and safety.”
The 1-year-old child is alive, but the sheriff’s office could not confirm if that child is in state custody or in the care of a relative.
Phillips and Robinson were booked into the Darlington Detention Center Monday. Bond has not been set for either suspect, according to online booking records.