High Bonds Set for Parents Charged with Unlawful Conduct Towards a Child After Daughter Died in Car Accident
Both parents of a 3-year-old girl, who was killed in a car accident last month, have been charged with unlawful conduct towards a child because their recklessness killed their daughter.
Tyrone Hicks had his bond set to $80,000 and he has been charged with both unlawful conduct towards a child and reckless homicide, while Amanda Hicks’s bond was set to $50,000 and she was charged with unlawful conduct towards a child.
According to North Charleston police, officials issued arrest warrants for the couple on Monday, and they turned themselves in on Wednesday.
The warrants related to an accident on March 25th which killed the couple’s 3-year-old daughter, Tylia Hicks.
The accident in March was the fault of Tyrone Hicks, who drove a Chevy Silverado with his wife and child in the vehicle. According to police reports, the Silverado dangerously approached another vehicle, which pulled over to avoid being hit. Hicks passed another vehicle the same way, then attempted to pass a white Nissan by traveling through the bicycle lane. The vehicles collided, sending the Nissan into traffic.
The truck went up over a curve, struck two poles and a tree before stopping on a pile of cinderblocks. Tylia Hicks was in the back of the truck, and was thrown through the rear window of the vehicle because of the force of the impact. She landed in the bed of the truck. Emergency crews transported Tylia to the Medical University of South Carolina, where she was pronounced dead.
Authorities reported that the child’s booster seat was not securely attached to the bench seat in the rear of the truck. Police also found several substances in the car, including a pill bottle containing a green plant material that tested positive for THC, an open can of Ice House Beer which was cold to the touch, and a scale in the back of the vehicle which tested positive for cocaine.
Tyrone Hicks’s brother, Aaron Hicks, say that all three were wearing seatbelts at the time, and the accident occurred after Tyrone had a seizure behind the wheel. He stated that whenever he was in the car with Tyrone and Tylia, both were securely restrained with safety restraints.
Amanda Hicks was released from jail on a personal recognizance bond, but her husband Tyrone Hicks remains in jail.
Unlawful Conduct Towards a Child in South Carolina
According to South Carolina Law:
“(A) It is unlawful for a person who has charge or custody of a child, or who is the parent or guardian of a child, or who is responsible for the welfare of a child as defined in Section 63-7-20 to:
(1) place the child at unreasonable risk of harm affecting the child’s life, physical or mental health, or safety;
(2) do or cause to be done unlawfully or maliciously any bodily harm to the child so that the life or health of the child is endangered or likely to be endangered; or
(3) wilfully abandon the child.
(B) A person who violates subsection (A) is guilty of a felony and for each offense, upon conviction, must be fined in the discretion of the court or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both.”
Unlawful conduct towards a child and child endangerment carry harsh penalties in the state of South Carolina, even if the child’s injury or wrongful death were completely accidental.
If You Face Charges of Unlawful Conduct Towards a Child, The Strom Law Firm Can Help
Criminal charges, including child endangerment and unlawful conduct towards a child, are serious and frightening. Harsh penalties, including steep fines and jail time, can ruin your family and personal life, even if you are acquitted. Do not let criminal charges in South Carolina ruin your good name. The attorneys at the Strom Law Firm collectively have over 50 years of experience with the law on both a state and federal level. We offer free, confidential consultations so you can discuss the facts of your case with impunity. Contact us today for help.803.252.4800.
