The wife of a former Florence County School District Five chairman who was recently arrested on multiple child sex charges has been temporarily banned from teaching.
Last week, the South Carolina State Board of Education the South Carolina State Board Of Education issued an order of summary suspension against Mary Costa King Marsh.
Mary Marsh, who was arrested March 3, was charged with two counts of unlawful neglect of a child. She was given a $10,000 bond for each charge and released soon after she was booked.
Her husband, Christopher Garrett Marsh, 51, was also arrested March 3 and charged with two counts of first-degree sexual conduct with a minor, two counts of second-degree statutory sexual conduct with a minor, and two counts of third-degree criminal sexual conduct with a minor, according to the Florence County Sheriff’s Office.
Officials with the Florence County Sheriff’s Office said that Chris Marsh was arrested following an extensive investigation by child abuse investigators.
According to the sheriff’s office, Chris Marsh allegedly sexually assaulted the victim beginning in 2015 when the child was 5 years old and the sexual abuse continued through February 2021.
Mary Marsh was aware of the abuse in 2015 and “continued to allow the child to be exposed to a substantial risk of physical harm” through Feb. 21, 2021, according to the sheriff’s office.
Mary Marsh, who worked as a teacher Florence County School District 5, allegedly failed to report the abuse incidents to law enforcement.
The state board considered evidence in the case, and decided to suspend Mary Marsh’s teaching license until a due process hearing is held (likely until her trial date).
“The SCDE has reason to believe that, due to the serious nature of this allegation of misconduct, Ms. Marsh may pose a threat to the health, safety, and welfare of students who may be under her instruction, and that emergency action is required,” the state board ruled (see the full order below).
Chris Marsh resigned from the district the day before he was arrested.
He posted a $150,000 bond and was released from the Florence County Detention Center March 10, WMBF reported.
Chris Marsh has served as school board chairman of Florence County School District Five since 2019. He is also president of Hemingway Apparel in Hemingway, South Carolina.
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