GREENVILLE COUNTY, SC (WYFF) - The
mother of a toddler who was killed when a dresser fell on him and his
sister is now charged with homicide by child neglect, and both parents
are charged with unlawful neglect of a child.
Margie Elizabeth Shaver, 27, turned herself in Thursday morning, according to the Greenville County Sheriff's Office.
Investigators said that Shaver's son was found unresponsive at 11:30 p.m. on March 12.
The
2-year-old, later identified as Chandler Jerome Shaver, was playing
with his sister in a bedroom, when a 5-drawer, wooden chest of drawers
fell on top of the children, according to Lt. Michael Hildebrand.
Chandler
was taken to Greenville Memorial Hospital where he was pronounced
dead. The 4-year-old was treated for her injuries and was placed into
the care of the South Carolina Department of Social Services
A
release from the Sheriff's Office said the investigation into
Chandler's death of the child found that Margie Shaver locked her
children in a filthy, unsafe bedroom and did not supervise them.
The
investigation found that the chest of drawers falling on the children
made a loud noise that Shaver heard, but she did nothing to save the
life of her child.
Chandler
died because the chest of drawers crushed him, causing asphyxiation
that investigators said was determined to be preventable. As a result,
Shaver has been charged with homicide by child neglect.
In
addition to the homicide charge, Shaver and her husband Christopher
Jerome Shaver, 30, were charged with unlawful neglect of a child due to
the condition of the home.
According
to the arrest warrants investigators found the filth and infestation of
the home placed the children at unreasonable risk / harm. Christopher
Shaver was not home at the time of the incident which resulted in the
death of his son.
Margie
and Christopher Shaver are currently being held at the Greenville
County Detention Center. A bond hearing was scheduled for Thursday
afternoon.
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