by A Beaufort police man accused of running into the woods with his son in 50-degree heat following an argument with his spouse faces a felony charge, according to the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office.
The man was charged with unlawfully abandoning a child or a helpless person and second-degree domestic violence on Saturday, prison records show.
Just after midnight Saturday, police were called to a Burton home after a man was reported to have escaped into the woods with a child, Major Angela Viens, a spokeswoman for the sheriff’s office, said.
The man and his wife had returned from Charleston that night and had argued. The man allegedly pushed his wife and carried the boy, who was wearing only a shirt and pants, into the woods, Viens said.
No injuries were reported in this incident and no further charges are expected as of Sunday, according to Viens.
Second degree domestic violence is a misdemeanor charge and unlawful neglect is a felony. The Island Packet and the Beaufort Gazette typically name those charged with felonies but not with misdemeanors. In this case, the newspapers chose not to name the man in the accident to protect the privacy of his spouse and child.
Information about an attorney for the man wasn’t immediately available.
He was released from the Beaufort County Detention Center on Saturday on bail. He was granted $5,000 bond on the negligence charge and $10,000 bond on the domestic violence charge.
If you or someone you know has been a victim of abuse, you can find help by calling the Hopeful Horizons 24-hour support line at 843-770-1070.
When we post mugshots
The Island Packet and Beaufort Gazette publish police booking photos, or mugshots, in the following cases:
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In situations where a public figure or someone in a position of public trust is arrested
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Where there is an immediate and widespread threat to public safety
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In cases where the arrested person is accused of a crime, journalists have evidence to believe that a number of unknown victims are involved
Journalists will avoid using mugshots as head images for online articles in order to limit their circulation on social media, except in cases where the audience is served by immediate identification of the defendant. Journalists and editors may use discretion in situations that do not meet the criteria outlined in this policy, but still present a compelling reason to publish a mugshot.
