Intruders took 2 kids, but SC mom went to do drugs before calling 911, cops say
Two people broke into a home and demanded money, then kidnapped two children in Upstate South Carolina a little after 1 a.m. Saturday, the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office said.
The kids, 2 and 4, were found safe about four hours later, left on a front porch of a house on one of the main roads out of Piedmont, South Carolina, Fox Carolina reports.
Police have arrested the mother of one of the children, who was assaulted during the home invasion, and a relative of the other child who were at the home, according to the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office.
“Preliminary reports indicate a white male with dark hair, full beard and a tattoo on his neck and a white female, wearing a black and white skull mask with a pink shirt and blue jeans, forced their way into a residence at gunpoint. The suspects then proceeded to assault two adult females before taking the kids from the residence and leaving in a dark colored pick up,” the sheriff’s office said.
Investigators say the two women, Siegrid Cundiff Covington, 59, and Jessica Whitt, 33, went to do drugs after the armed abduction and did not report it to police for more than two hours, Fox Carolina reports.
Lt. Ryan Flood with Greenville County Sheriff’s Office said Whitt is the mother of the 2-year-old and Covington is related to the 4-year-old. He said the two women are not related.
“Investigators learned that following the children being taken from the residence, both Whitt and (Covington) went to at least one other location and engaged in drug use rather than reporting the incident to law enforcement. The Sheriff’s Office was not notified of this kidnapping until just before 3:30am,” the sheriff’s office said in a press release.
Whitt and Covington were charged with unlawful conduct toward a child, the sheriff’s office said. Officers said other family members are caring for the children, according to Greenville County Sheriff’s Office.
Whitt was also charged with failing to pay child support, jail records show. Each woman is being held on a $10,000 bond on the child neglect charge, jail records show.
Online court records show both women have a history of drug charges in Greenville County.
“Investigators are continuing (to) investigate the circumstances surrounding the home invasion and kidnapping, however preliminary information reveals the suspects entered the residence and began demanding cash,” the sheriff’s department said.
