York County baby was beaten to death. Mother, boyfriend charged in the killing
The mother of a baby girl who died in June, and the mother’s boyfriend, have been charged in the infant’s death, York County Sheriff Kevin Tolson said.
The female infant, seven weeks old, died June 23 from blunt force trauma to the head, said Trent Faris, spokesman for the sheriff’s office.
Aaron Michael Doster, 22, was charged Wednesday with homicide by child abuse, Faris said. Doster is the boyfriend of the child’s mother, Faris said.
A conviction for homicide by child abuse carries a potential sentence of 30 years to life in prison under South Carolina law.
The child’s mother, Hannah Geannette Parton, 21, also of Hickory Grove, is charged with felony child abuse and neglect, Faris said. Child abuse and neglect carries a potential sentence of 10 years for a conviction, state law shows.
Doster and Parton were taken into custody Tuesday and served arrest warrants Wednesday, Faris said.
The investigation involved sheriff’s office detectives, State Law Enforcement Division agents, and the York County Coroner’s Office.
SLED has a child fatality unit that investigates all deaths of children under age 17. South Carolina law requires SLED to be involved in child death investigations.
Sixteenth Circuit Deputy Solicitor Willy Thompson said his office has worked with law enforcement and coroner officials on the case since the child died, but declined further comment.
Doster and Parton remain jailed at the York County Detention Center pending court hearings.
This story was originally published October 7, 2020 at 4:21 PM with the headline "York County baby was beaten to death. Mother, boyfriend charged in the killing."
