Dawkins
NEWBERRY COUNTY — Shortly after midnight, Newberry County 911 received a call regarding a domestic issue in the Prosperity area, according to the Newberry County Sheriff’s Office. Responding deputies discovered that the biological father of a sixth-month old infant had been allowed to take the child to his residence in the Greenville-Spartanburg area.
However sometime after leaving, per the NCSO, the biological father called and began to berate the mother and made threats to harm the child. Deputies put out a be on the lookout for the suspect and his white Toyota Prius, along with contacting SLED due to possibility of it being a statewide event.
At approximately 2:00 a.m., a sheriff’s deputy spotted the Prius at a convenience store on S.C. 34 at I-26, per the NCSO. The deputy observed the described suspect in the driver’s position and an infant, unrestrained in a child seat. The suspect was immediately detained and the child appeared unresponsive to the arriving deputies.
Newberry County EMS was called and heroic measures were taken. The child was transported to Newberry County Memorial Hospital, where life saving methods were attempted.
The child’s biological father, Colie Dawkins, with a last known address in Lyman, has been arrested and is in the Newberry County Detention Center on charges of unlawful conduct to a child and violation of the habitual offender act. The investigation is continuing and is being conducted by the Newberry County Sheriff’s Office and the Newberry County Coroner’s Office.
Under the law, SLED Child Fatality Unit has also been called to investigate. An autopsy is forthcoming and there are possibilities of further charges.