Authorities allege a second child had been out of school for years and lacked appropriate health and developmental services.
FORT LAWN, S.C. — The investigation of a 9-year-old boy’s death in Chester County has expanded into allegations about the welfare of his 12-year-old sister, with authorities citing years of school absence, unmet care needs and hazardous conditions inside the family’s Fort Lawn home.
Katie Hill Hefner, 40, and Rick Elliott Adkins, 41, each face two counts of unlawful conduct toward a child. One count concerns the boy who died Sept. 20, while the other concerns his older sister, according to reports citing arrest warrants and investigators. Authorities allege the circumstances inside the home placed the children at an unreasonable risk of harm to their health and safety.
The investigation began when Chester County deputies were called to a residence on Lawndale Circle for an unresponsive 9-year-old. Emergency medical workers transported the child to MUSC Lancaster, where he was pronounced dead. His name has not been publicly released. The Chester County Sheriff’s Office and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division continued investigating after his death.
Investigators said they discovered hazardous and unsanitary conditions inside the residence, including animal waste throughout the home and dried human waste on clothing, floors and walls. Authorities have described those conditions as part of the basis for the child-welfare charges. The allegations have not been proven in court.
Documents cited in reports about the case also raised concerns about the 12-year-old girl. A warrant says she had not attended school since approximately 2020 and had apparent developmental and cognitive concerns. Investigators allege Hefner and Adkins failed to obtain appropriate medical evaluations, routine health care or developmental services for her.
The allegations involving the girl broaden the case beyond the circumstances immediately surrounding her brother’s death. Authorities have not publicly explained why she allegedly stopped attending school, what educational arrangements may have existed during that period or whether government agencies had prior contact with the family. Those questions remain unresolved in the information released about the investigation.
Investigators also allege the boy had been sick for at least four days before his death. Arrest warrants say his condition deteriorated until he became too weak to walk or sit up and had difficulty talking. Authorities allege the parents did not obtain timely medical attention. Those allegations form part of the criminal case, but investigators have not said that the pending child-neglect charges establish the cause of his death.
Hefner and Adkins were arrested Oct. 9 and have since been released on bond, according to records cited by local news organizations. Each faces two counts of unlawful conduct toward a child. The defendants are accused of crimes but have not been convicted, and authorities have not announced additional charges tied specifically to the boy’s death.
The death investigation remains active with assistance from SLED. Authorities have not publicly released a final cause or manner of death for the boy, and officials have not said whether further charges will be filed as investigators continue reviewing the children’s care and the circumstances inside the home.
Author note: Last updated October 13, 2026.