SC boy, 9, died near Rock Hill. Parents charged with neglect of him, older sister

As police in South Carolina continue to investigate the death last month of a 9-year-old boy near Rock Hill, deputies have arrested his parents on charges of felony neglect toward him and his 12-year-old sister, according to officials and court documents in the case.

Rick Elliott Adkins, 41, and Katie Hill Hefner, 40, were charged Friday with two counts of unlawful conduct toward their children, according to jail records, arrest warrants, and a statement from Chester County Sheriff Max Dorsey.

The arrest warrants obtained by The Herald allege the boy who died had suffered from diarrhea and vomiting for four days, but Adkins and Hefner “failed to obtain timely medical attention or treatment.”

The arrest warrants concerning the 12-year-old sister state she had not attended school since 2020, and has “apparent developmental and cognitive concerns.” Police say Adkins and Hefner “failed to obtain appropriate medical evaluations, routine healthcare, or developmental services.”

The charges stem from an ongoing local and state police probe that started when the boy was found unresponsive Sept. 20 at a home in rural Fort Lawn. The area is near the Catawba River south of Rock Hill.

The boy died at a hospital in Lancaster that day, officials said.

The identities of the boy and girl have not been released. Autopsy results for the boy are pending, Chester County Coroner Terry Tinker told The Herald Friday afternoon.

Investigators from the sheriff’s office and State Law Enforcement Division are continuing a death investigation, Dorsey said. SLED is required under South Carolina law to be part of any child fatality probe.

No charges have been filed concerning the death of the child.

At the house during the investigation, police found what Dorsey described as “hazardous and unsanitary living conditions.” Officials found animal feces in the home and dried human feces on clothing, floors and walls, according to Dorsey and an incident report from the case obtained by The Herald.

Adkins and Hefner were arrested after police determined the two adults allegedly “placed the children at an unreasonable risk of harm to their health and overall safety,” Dorsey said.

Unlawful conduct toward a child is a felony under South Carolina law that carries up to 10 years prison for a conviction.

Both Adkins and Hefner remained in the Chester County jail Friday afternoon.

This story was originally published October 9, 2026 at 6:35 PM with the headline “SC boy, 9, died near Rock Hill. Parents charged with neglect of him, older sister.”