South Carolina authorities report two separate cases of severe child abuse

Two separate incidents of severe child abuse and neglect have been reported in South Carolina.

In Spartanburg County, 35-year-old Taylor Gosnell was arrested after her six-year-old son and three-year-old daughter were found with approximately 50 stab wounds. Investigators allege Gosnell used a circular knife and a baseball bat to attack the children. The six-year-old boy faces potential limb amputation due to the severity of the injuries. Gosnell was already out on bond for a 2024 charge of placing a child at risk of harm; a judge has since denied her bond.

In Charleston County, 31-year-old Justine Marie May faces homicide by child abuse charges following the deaths of her two daughters, aged 33 months and 15 months. The Charleston County Coroner determined the toddlers died from starvation and dehydration. According to an arrest affidavit, May claimed she was in a ‘blur’ and could not remember the last time she had fed the children. Authorities noted that deputies had conducted 13 welfare checks at the home since August 10, during which no signs of concern were observed.