Teenage parents arrested in infant’s death, Midlands sheriff says
An infant died and the teenage parents were arrested, according to the Newberry County Sheriff’s Office.
Both Brady Lynden Wearn, 18, and Mary Catherine Bedenbaugh, 17, were charged with homicide by child abuse and unlawful conduct toward a child, the sheriff’s office said in a Wednesday news release.
Although their 4-month-old child died in May, Bedenbaugh and Wearn were not arrested until Wednesday, jail records show. They’re being held at the Newberry County Detention Center and are expected to have a bond hearing Thursday, the sheriff’s office said.
On May 2, emergency responders were called to the home where the teenagers lived in the 100 block of Duckbill Road in Prosperity, not far from the Saluda River and Lake Murray, according to the release. The 4-month-old, who was not breathing and was unresponsive, was taken to Newberry Hospital, where the baby died, the sheriff’s office said.
Toxicology reports showed the infant had cocaine in the body, and more tests also found cocaine in the feeding bottles, according to the release. Both parents submitted to a drug screen, which tested positive for cocaine, fentanyl and marijuana, the sheriff’s office said.
Forensic pathologist Dr. Kelly Rose, of the Newberry Pathology Group determined the infant died from “sudden unexpected infant death associated with recent cocaine ingestion,” according to the release.
The infant’s death was ruled a homicide, according to Newberry County Coroner Laura Kneece.
“These are very difficult and time-consuming cases that investigators have to sort through, and we have to wait for testing on items, which takes a few weeks,” Sheriff Lee Foster said in the release. “This is exactly why we take drug enforcement so seriously. Drug use and abuse are not victimless crimes.”
In addition to the sheriff’s office and the coroner’s office, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division Child Fatality Unit and South Carolina Department of Social Services is investigating.
“These cases are very difficult and emotional from the start with an infant being involved,” Kneece said in the release. “It takes multiple agency cooperation from the beginning. I am very proud of the dedication of all agencies involved and how effortless it is was for everyone to work together.”
If convicted on the homicide by child abuse charges, both Bedenbaugh and Wearn could face 20 years to life in prison, according to South Carolina law.
This is a developing story, check back for updates.
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This story was originally published June 24, 2021 at 8:53 AM.
