Investigators allege the 9-year-old became increasingly weak during several days of illness before his parents sought medical help.
FORT LAWN, S.C. — The parents of a 9-year-old South Carolina boy who died after being found unresponsive at his home face felony child-neglect charges as authorities investigate allegations that he went several days without timely medical treatment while his condition worsened.
Katie Hill Hefner, 40, and Rick Elliott Adkins, 41, have each been charged with two counts of unlawful conduct toward a child, according to authorities and court records. The charges concern the boy and his 12-year-old sister. Investigators have not announced a criminal charge specifically alleging that either parent caused the boy’s death, and the investigation into how he died remains open.
Deputies with the Chester County Sheriff’s Office responded Sept. 20 to a home on Lawndale Circle in Fort Lawn after receiving a report of an unresponsive child. Emergency medical workers took the boy to MUSC Lancaster, where he was pronounced dead. Authorities have not publicly identified the child.
Arrest warrants allege the boy had been ill for at least four days and that his physical condition progressively deteriorated. Investigators said he eventually became too weak to walk or sit up and had difficulty talking. The warrants allege Hefner and Adkins failed to obtain timely medical attention or treatment as his condition became more serious.
The allegations about medical care are part of a wider investigation into the children’s living conditions. Authorities said investigators who entered the residence found conditions they described as hazardous and unsanitary. The sheriff’s office reported finding animal waste throughout the home and dried human waste on clothing, floors and walls. Officials said the conditions created an unreasonable risk to the health and safety of children living there.
The boy’s death brought investigators from both the Chester County Sheriff’s Office and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division into the case. SLED’s Special Victims Unit has assisted with the death investigation. The circumstances surrounding the boy’s death have not been fully determined publicly, and authorities have not released a final cause or manner of death.
The two counts filed against each parent also include allegations involving the boy’s older sister. Warrants cited by local news organizations say the 12-year-old had not attended school since approximately 2020 and had apparent developmental and cognitive concerns. Investigators allege her parents failed to obtain appropriate medical evaluations, routine health care or developmental services for her.
Hefner and Adkins were arrested Oct. 9. Both have since been released from jail on bond, according to records cited by local news organizations. The charges are allegations, and neither defendant has been convicted in connection with the case.
The Chester County Sheriff’s Office and SLED continue to investigate the boy’s death. Authorities have not announced whether the continuing investigation will result in additional charges, and no final determination about what caused the child’s death has been publicly released.
Author note: Last updated October 13, 2026.