PELION, SC — Neighbors of the Pelion mother arrested in connection with the death of her 2-month-old daughter say the woman talked about hurting the child in the weeks before the infant was killed.

Sara Elizabeth Hodson would complain about not wanting her newborn daughter, Makenna, according to neighbors Elisha Cook and Ariane Kennedy.

Sara Hodson and her estranged husband, Jordan Ray Hodson, were both arrested Tuesday night after the couple took the unresponsive child to the Pelion Family Practice. The parents were arrested at Lexington Medical Center after their explanations for injuries to the baby’s head and body didn’t match the findings of medical personnel.

Makenna Hodson died later Tuesday night at Palmetto Health Richland from gastric perforation when stomach and intestinal acids leaked into her body, according to the Lexington County Coroner’s Office. Lexington County deputies are investigating what caused the injury.

Jordan Ray Hodson, 33, is charged with homicide by child abuse and unlawful conduct toward a child. His wife, 32, is charged with unlawful conduct toward a child. Sara Hodson was released on a $50,000 bond Friday. Jordan Hodson was being held at the Lexington County Detention Center.

The Hodsons moved into the Bush Berry Road housing complex about six months ago, and had a rocky stay, Cook and Kennedy said.

Jordan and Sara Hodson fought constantly and loudly, they said. The two separated, so Jordan Hodson was at the home sporadically, they said.

Cook said Sara Hodson came to the house just before she gave birth to Makenna and complained about not having any clothes for her baby. Cook, who also has an infant, said she gave the woman some of her extra clothes.

After the child was born, Cook said, Sara Hodson never seemed to want the baby. The mother would leave Makenna unattended or with her 10-year-old daughter and would talk about not wanting the baby, and would come over often ask Cook for fresh diapers and clothes.

Still, Cook said, the baby would rarely cry.

“She would have a dirty nasty diaper and you wouldn’t hear a thing from her,” Cook said.

The week after Thanksgiving, Sara Hodson stopped by to see Kennedy and Cook. She was crying and said something about wanting to hurt her newborn, they said.

“She threatened to throw the baby against a wall,” Kennedy said.

Cook and Kennedy said they tried to call the state Department of Social Services after hearing the threats, but said no one from the agency ever came to the home. A DSS spokeswoman said she couldn’t comment on whether a case had been opened on the home before Tuesday.

The baby’s three older siblings are now in the agency’s custody.