Infant’s death in South Carolina spurs investigation, sheriff’s department says
The Richland County Sheriff’s Department is investigating the recent death of an infant.
On Tuesday, deputies responded to an area hospital where an infant had died by the time they had arrived, a sheriff’s department spokesperson told The State on Wednesday.
The infant was identified as 7-month-old Columbia resident Jarod Norris, Richland County Coroner Naida Rutherford said.
The infant was staying with a guardian at the Days Inn hotel at 1144 Bush River Road, according to the sheriff’s department. That’s in Columbia, near the area called Malfunction Junction, where Interstate 20, Interstate 26 and Interstate 126 converge.
The sheriff’s department said the baby’s guardian saw the child having a medical emergency and called EMS, which took the infant to the hospital. Further information about the medical emergency was not available.
When deputies interviewed the members of EMS who responded to the hotel they learned that the infant was in a room with a woman and at least two men, according to an incident report. Additional deputies went to the hotel to process the scene, the sheriff’s department said.
The coroner’s office is working with the sheriff’s department on the investigation to determine the child’s manner and cause of death.
“Every life is sacred, and the passing of a child shakes us all. We extend our deepest sympathy and prayers to the family as they navigate this heartbreaking loss,” Rutherford said in a news release.
The investigation is not currently considered a criminal investigation, and nobody has been arrested, according to the sheriff’s department.
“It’s an open investigation, along with the coroner’s office, to determine what happened,” Master Deputy Alexandra Salrin said.
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This story was originally published August 20, 2025 at 11:33 AM.
