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Two women entrusted with the care of a four-year-old have been charged with homicide by child abuse after the child arrived at a Columbia hospital with fatal injuries, including burns and head trauma, according to the Richland County Sheriff’s Department (RCSD).
Authorities identified the women as Zokeiyah Wyshan McCray and Helen Shanine Benbow. McCray was the child’s godmother; Benbow is McCray’s mother. Both face one count of homicide by child abuse.
Deputies responded to MUSC Health Columbia Medical Center Northeast, at 120 Gateway Corporate Boulevard, at approximately 8:40 a.m. EDT on Friday (October 2, 2026) after the child was pronounced dead upon arrival.
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Medical staff reported substantial injuries, and investigators documented cuts across the child’s body, multiple head injuries that caused internal bleeding and burn marks that appeared consistent with contact from lit smoking material, according to the sheriff’s department.
Investigators said McCray and Benbow had been the child’s legal guardians and sole caretakers since May 2026. Both women lived with the child in the same apartment.
The women were taken into custody without incident Friday evening and transported to the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center (ASGDC).
Both were scheduled to appear in bond court at 2:00 p.m. EDT on October 3, 2026. The sheriff’s department’s announcement did not include the outcome of that hearing.
This is still a developing story, stay tuned to FITSNews for the latest updates.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR…
Troy Styles is a field correspondent for FITSNews. He is also the owner of Blunt Force Media.
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