A 25-year-old Orangeburg man is facing charges after deputies investigating severe injuries to a 1-year-old child discovered a home where the child and a vulnerable adult were allegedly living in extremely poor conditions.
Justice Anderson was charged with unlawfully placing a child at risk and neglect of a vulnerable adult following an investigation at a residence on Manlicher Drive in Orangeburg County, South Carolina.
The investigation began on Friday, Sept. 4, after medical personnel at MUSC Health notified the Orangeburg County Sheriff’s Office about a 1-year-old child who had suffered severe injuries. Deputies then went to the residence where the child lived.
What began as an investigation into the child’s injuries led deputies to what the sheriff’s office described as a neglect and abuse situation.
According to investigators, the residence was cluttered with trash, infested with insects and did not have running water or electricity. Deputies also found a 42-year-old woman who was described as vulnerable.
The woman was reportedly found in a bed containing maggots and rotten food, according to the incident information cited by local authorities.
Orangeburg County Sheriff Leroy Ravenell described the condition of the residence as “absolutely and disgustingly appalling.”
The relationship between Anderson, the child and the 42-year-old woman has not been publicly disclosed.
Authorities have not released detailed information about the child’s injuries or the woman’s condition.
Anderson was arrested and booked into the Orangeburg County Detention Center. His bond was set at $135,000, according to more recent local reports, and he remained in custody because the bond had not been posted.
The charges remain allegations, and the case is pending in court.
