ORANGEBURG, S.C. — A hospital report about a seriously injured 1-year-old child led deputies to a South Carolina residence where investigators say they discovered disturbing living conditions involving both the child and a vulnerable adult.
According to the Orangeburg County Sheriff’s Office, staff at MUSC Health hospital in Orangeburg contacted authorities on Sept. 4 after a 1-year-old child was reported to have suffered “serious injuries.”
Deputies then went to the home on Manlicher Drive, where the child lived, to investigate what had happened. What they allegedly found inside turned the investigation into a broader neglect and abuse case.
Authorities said the residence was in extremely poor condition, with conditions they described as “deplorable.”
Deputies Find Woman in Bed Full of Maggots
Inside the home, deputies reportedly encountered a 42-year-old vulnerable woman who was allegedly living in a bed filled with maggots and rotten food. The discovery raised serious concerns about the woman’s welfare and the conditions in which she had been living.
The sheriff’s office said deputies determined that the home represented a neglect and abuse situation after arriving to investigate the child’s injuries.
The relationship between Anderson, the 1-year-old child and the 42-year-old woman has not been immediately disclosed by authorities.
Investigators have also not publicly detailed how long the woman had allegedly been living under those conditions or how the child’s injuries occurred.
Sheriff Describes Home as ‘Absolutely’ Appalling
Orangeburg County Sheriff Leroy Ravenell described the conditions inside the residence in stark terms. According to the sheriff’s office, the home was cluttered with trash, insect-infested and without running water or electricity.
Ravenell said, “The conditions of this home were absolutely and disgustingly appalling.” The description paints a disturbing picture of the environment deputies encountered while responding to the hospital’s report.
The investigation now involves allegations concerning both the welfare of a young child and a vulnerable adult, though authorities have not released all the circumstances surrounding the case.
Justice Anderson Arrested and Charged
Following the investigation, Justice Anderson, 25, was arrested and booked into the Orangeburg County Detention Center.
He was charged with unlawfully placing a child at risk and neglect of a vulnerable adult, according to the Orangeburg County Sheriff’s Office. Anderson remains in custody, according to online jail records.
He appeared in court on Sunday, where a judge granted him a $175,000 bond. That bond had not been posted at the time of the available information.
Anderson is scheduled to return to court on Oct. 13. The charges are allegations, and the case will proceed through the court system.
Conditions of Child and Woman Not Released
Authorities have not publicly disclosed the current medical conditions of either the 1-year-old child or the 42-year-old woman.
Officials also have not released additional details about the child’s reported injuries or explained what investigators believe happened before the hospital contacted law enforcement.
The circumstances surrounding the woman’s living conditions also remain part of the investigation.
As authorities continue working through the case, the disturbing condition of the residence has become a central part of the allegations against Anderson.
The investigation underscores why the initial hospital report prompted deputies to visit the home and assess the child’s living environment. For now, Anderson remains in custody while the case moves forward, with his next court appearance scheduled for October.
What do you think about the disturbing conditions deputies reportedly discovered inside the home? Share your thoughts in the comments.
