Crime & Safety
Chester County, SC: 2 Arrested After 9-Year-Old Boy Dies
FORT LAWN, SC – Two adults have been arrested in Chester County following the death of a 9 year old boy, after investigators discovered hazardous living conditions inside a South Carolina home, includ
By Marcus Hale · 2026-10-09T23:29:52.209Z
FORT LAWN, SC – Two adults have been arrested in Chester County following the death of a 9 year old boy, after investigators discovered hazardous living conditions inside a South Carolina home, including animal feces and dried human feces on clothing, floors and walls.
According to the Chester County Sheriff 's Office, Katie Hill Hefner and Rick Elliott Adkins, both of Fort Lawn, were arrested and each charged with two counts of unlawful conduct toward a child.
The arrests stem from an investigation that began Sept. 20, 2026, when deputies and investigators responded to a residence on Lawndale Circle in Fort Lawn for a report of an unresponsive 9 year old boy.
Emergency responders transported the child to MUSC Lancaster, where he was pronounced dead.
Following the boy's death, investigators with the Chester County Sheriff's Office and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division's Special Victims Unit began examining the circumstances surrounding the incident.
During the investigation, authorities discovered what they described as hazardous and unsanitary conditions throughout the residence.
Investigators reported finding animal feces inside the home, along with dried human feces on clothing, floors and walls.
Authorities also identified concerns involving the care and welfare of other children living at the residence.
According to the sheriff's office, those conditions placed the children at an unreasonable risk of harm to their health and overall safety.
As a result, Hefner and Adkins were each charged with two counts of unlawful conduct toward a child under South Carolina law.
The investigation into the 9 year old boy's death remains active and ongoing.
Authorities have not announced the child's cause of death or stated that either defendant has been charged with causing his death.
The sheriff's office said it continues working with state investigators to examine the circumstances and protect children from alleged abuse and neglect.
Both defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.