FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 7, 2025
Child Neglect Arrests Following 911 Call
WESTMINSTER, SC– On October 6, 2025, at approximately 4:48 PM, officers of the Westminster Police Department responded to a 911 call reporting a small child wandering in the middle of the highway near the 1600 block of East Main Street. The child, a 4-year-old with Autism, was found unclothed and unsupervised.
Following a brief investigation, officers determined that the child resided at 100 Sunshine Circle, Apartment 23. Officers proceeded to that address and made contact with the child’s parents. While conducting a welfare check inside the residence, officers located another child, age 2. The living conditions within the home were found to be deplorable and unsanitary.
As a result of the investigation, Cecilia Tolbert, age 31, and Dennis Owens, age 29, both residents of the home, were arrested and charged with the following offenses:
- Two (2) counts of Unlawful Conduct Toward a Child
- Two (2) counts of Cruelty to Children
Both children were placed into custody of another family member by the South Carolina Department of Social Services.
The Westminster Police Department would like to thank the concerned citizen who made the 911 call, as their quick action likely prevented serious tragedy.
View the full press release HERE.
For more information, contact the Westminster Police Department at (864)482-1883.
DISCLAIMER: ALL SUBJECTS ARE PRESUMED INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY IN A COURT OF LAW.
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