CHESTER COUNTY, S.C. — Two people have been charged with unlawful conduct toward a child following an investigation into the death of a 9-year-old boy.
The Chester County Sheriff’s Office said deputies responded to a home on Lawndale Circle on Sept. 20, 2026, after receiving a call about an unresponsive child. The boy was taken by EMS to MUSC Lancaster, where he was pronounced dead.
[ ALSO READ: Mecklenburg DA to seek death penalty in death of 6-year-old Dominique Moody ]
Investigators with the sheriff’s office and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division’s Special Victims Unit continued investigating the circumstances surrounding the child’s death.
During the investigation, they found hazardous and unsanitary conditions inside the home, including animal feces throughout the residence and dried human feces on clothing, floors, and walls, authorities said.
Investigators also identified concerns about the care and welfare of other children living in the home. Authorities said the conditions placed the children at an unreasonable risk of harm to their health and safety.
Katie Hill Hefner and Rick Elliott Adkins, both of Fort Lawn, were each charged with two counts of unlawful conduct toward a child.
The investigation into the 9-year-old boy’s death remains active and ongoing. Authorities have not released additional details about the circumstances of his death.