LORIS, SC (WBTW) – A Loris man is in jail after threatening to “fillet” a 5-month-old baby, according to a report from Horry County police.
Horry County officers were called to a home on Daisy Road in Loris at 2 a.m. Sunday morning after an emergency call from a woman who said she was locked inside a closet with her children and the suspect was somewhere outside the home.
When officers arrived, the suspect, later identified as 35-year-old Matthew Collett, of Loris, tried to hide inside a dog shelter kept in the backyard of the home. Collett eventually came out of the shelter and was taken into custody.
The woman inside the home told officers that she and Collett went to a strip club that night, leaving three children at home – two teens, 13 and 16, and a 5-month-old baby – but while at the club, Collett disappeared.
The 16-year-old told officers that he received a text message from Collett indicating he “was going to skin a couple dogs.” The teens attempted to hide the dogs in a cabin on the property, but Collett arrived at the house via taxi before they could crate the dogs.
The teens told police that Collett was intoxicated, verbally abusive and demanded one of the boys get his a shotgun. When one teen left to find the gun, Collett slapped the second boy, who was holding the 5-month-old baby, the report states.
Collett told the boy to sit in a corner with the baby, then came out of the kitchen with a knife and sharpening stone. Collett started sharpening the knife “inches from the baby’s face,” while telling the teen he was going to “fillet the baby.”
The two teens ran outside and Collett followed, shooting several rounds at a black Jeep parked near the home. Collett then forced the teens into the backseat of another vehicle and crashed the car into the Jeep.
At that time, the woman arrived home from the club and called police.
Collett is charged with violating weapons ordinance, possession of marijuana, assault and battery third degree, unlawful neglect of a child, possession of cocaine, and malicious injury to personal property.
At the time of this posting, Collett remains in jail.
According to online booking records, Collett was arrested Jan. 1 for DUI, speeding, open container, driving under suspension and failure to stop for blue lights. Collett spent less than one day in jail and was released on $5,085 bond.
