Sumter woman turns herself in after leaving two young children alone last week

A Sumter woman was charged with child neglect on Saturday, a week after going missing and leaving her two children, a toddler and 5-week-old baby, alone.

Shardae Evette Davis, 27, turned herself in to authorities saying she didn’t come forward earlier because of an outstanding shoplifting warrant in Horry County, Sumter police said in a news release.

Davis disappeared January 15 from her home at 611 E. Liberty St., Lot 21 after neighbors called police to report a disturbance at the address.

When police arrived to check out the report, they found a nearly two-year-old toddler and a 5-week-old baby alone but unharmed in the residence.

As authorities searched for Davis and a man wanted on a domestic violence warrant, the children were turned over to family members, police said.

If convicted on two counts of unlawful conduct toward a child, Davis could be fined and/or sentenced to up to 10 years in jail on each count.

Police continue search for Herbert Linwood Butler, 34, of Sumter who is wanted on a warrant for domestic violence from a previous incident.

Anyone with information about Butler’s whereabouts is asked to call the Sumter Police Department at (803) 436-2700.

This story was originally published January 23, 2016 at 5:40 PM.