Inset: Janette Clayton (North Charleston Police Department). Background: The area near where police found Clayton”s 11-month-old dead in North Charleston, S.C. (Google Maps).
A South Carolina woman has been arrested after her 11-month-old child was found dead inside a filthy and insect-ridden apartment, according to law enforcement in the Palmetto State.
Janette Clayton, 27, stands accused of three counts of unlawful conduct toward a child, the North Charleston Police Department said in a press release announcing the charges.
In light of the allegations against the mother, two members of the department have been placed on leave after officials discovered they had previously visited the apartment where the child died, North Charleston Police Lieutenant Anthony J. King said on Thursday.
“NCPD is committed to maintaining the highest standards of conduct and accountability,” King told Charleston-based CBS affiliate WCSC.
The grim discovery was made just before 1:30 p.m. at an apartment on the 2200 block of Eleanor Drive in North Charleston, police said.
Police and EMS personnel arrived after firefighters were already at the scene.
“When they arrived, North Charleston firefighters were performing lifesaving measures on the infant, who was found partially wrapped in a blanket near the front doorway,” the police department said.
Ultimately, EMS pronounced the child dead at the apartment. Police said that a protective sweep of the unit “revealed a lack of items necessary for child care,” and investigators determined that the infant had been in “unsafe living conditions,” according to the press release.
“Investigators later executed a search warrant and reported finding no food or child-care supplies inside the home,” police said. “Authorities also observed a severe insect infestation throughout the residence, including in the refrigerator and drawers.”
The defendant was waiting outside the residence with the deceased child’s paternal grandmother and her two other children when officers arrived, according to WCSC.
The infant’s cause of death was not immediately revealed.
Due to the developments concerning the officers’ prior visit to the apartment, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) was asked to conduct “a thorough investigation into the case,” police said.
“We have requested SLED’s assistance due to concerns about the initial investigation and how it conforms with our department policy,” a second press release said. “This request process has just started and additional information will be unavailable until the process is complete.”
The defendant was detained in the Al Cannon Detention Center, police said. She was not listed as an inmate as of Friday.
