Youth counselor in Sumter accused of child cruelty

Sumter County authorities charged a 20-year-old Kingstree man with cruelty to children after he allegedly tied the hands and arms of a 10-year-old boy in his care.

According to the warrant, on June 19, 2015, Lamar Graham, tied “both the victims arms and hands with a jump rope and told the victim to sit down in a chair while the defendant was in charge.”

Graham was a youth counselor at a Sumter facility located at at 1100 E. Brewington Road.

A woman who said she was Graham’s guardian after his mother died, called Lamar a good kid who goes to college and had worked at the youth facility for three years before this incident. Sheila Graham said Lamar Graham had apologized to the boy and his parents.

The sheriff’s department became involved following a parent’s complaint, Sumter County Sheriff spokesman Braden Bunch said.

An investigation continues to determine how long the child was restrained and whether others may have been subjected to similar restraints.

A telephone call the a daycare facility listed at that Sumter address has not been returned.

This story was originally published July 22, 2015 at 5:16 PM.