Tip on missing person’s location led deputies to ill-treatment of animals arrests
Updated: 11:57 AM EDT Sep 14, 2024
THIS IS WYFF NEWS FOUR TODAY. I DIDN’T KNOW IT WAS GOING TO BE HIS LAST BIRTHDAY WITH ME. AN UPSTATE MOTHER DEVASTATED BY THE LOSS OF HER SON. SHE SHARES HER GRIEF ONLY ON WYFF NEWS FOUR. PLUS, AN UPSTATE COMMUNITY STANDING TOGETHER, REMEMBERING THE LIFE OF LIONEL CERVANTES. GOOD MORNING. I’M PEYTON FURTADO. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US HERE ON YOUR SATURDAY MORNING, 701 RIGHT NOW. LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT OUR WEATHER BEFORE WE GET STARTED WITH THE NEWS. GORGEOUS. OH MY GOSH, IT’S ALMOST HAUNTING. HOW BEAUTIFUL THAT IS. 72 DEGREES. THIS IS OUR LAKE HARTWELL SKYCAM. GORGEOUS DAY. DEFINITELY CLOUDY THOUGH. WE HAVE SYDNEY SULLIVAN IN THE STUDIO WITH US TO TELL US A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHAT WE NEED TO EXPECT. SYDNEY, IT’S LOOKING LIKE IT’S GOING TO BE A BEAUTIFUL, KIND OF CLOUDY MORNING. YOU KNOW, I ACTUALLY I LOVE MORNINGS LIKE THAT. IT’S STILL A GREAT DAY TO BE OUTDOORS, EVEN WITH A LITTLE BIT MORE CLOUD COVER AND EVEN WITH SOME FOG DEVELOPING IN SOME SPOTS ACROSS THE REGION, ESPECIALLY SOUTH OF GREENVILLE IS WHERE WE ARE SEEING THAT LOW VISIBILITY. SOME IMPROVEMENTS FOR MANY OF THESE SPOTS, BUT ELBERTON, ABBEVILLE, GREENWOOD AND INTO LAURENS, THAT’S STILL WHERE WE ARE LOOKING AT SOME PRETTY DECENT FOG DEVELOPING THIS MORNING. THAT’S ALSO WHERE WE ARE SEEING SOME SHOWERS MOVING ACROSS THE REGION, NOT AREA WIDE THOUGH. YOU CAN SEE WE’VE GOT WE’RE KIND OF WEDGED BETWEEN TWO SYSTEMS. WE’VE GOT THE REMNANTS OF FRANCINE FAR OFF TO OUR WEST. WE ALSO HAVE A DISTURBANCE ALONG THE CAROLINA COAST THAT’S TRYING TO BRING IN A LITTLE BIT OF MOISTURE. SO YOU COULD SEE A FEW PASSING SHOWERS THROUGHOUT THE DAY, BUT STILL MANY OF US WILL REMAIN DRY. LET’S TAKE AN EVEN CLOSER LOOK IN RIGHT NOW. WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA LOOKING DRY FOR THE TIME BEING. BUT NOTICE, ANDERSON, ABBEVILLE, ELBERTON, GREENWOOD, LAURENS, AND SOUTH OF UNION. SOME LIGHT TO MODERATE DOWNPOURS THERE AS THAT MOISTURE STARTS TO WORK ITS WAY A LITTLE BIT FURTHER INLAND SO YOU COULD BE DODGING A FEW SHOWERS THIS MORNING FOR THE MOST PART, MANY OF US WILL REMAIN NICE AND DRY AS WE LOOK AT OUR TEMPERATURE. TEMPERATURES, THOUGH WE’RE SITTING MAINLY IN THE UPPER 60S TO THE LOWER 70S WITH A LITTLE BIT MORE CLOUD COVER AND THAT CHANCE FOR SOME PASSING SHOWERS THROUGHOUT THE DAY THAT WILL KEEP OUR TEMPERATURES VERY STEADY. HIGHS WILL ONLY TOP OUT IN THE UPPER SECONDS. IT WILL BE BREEZY ALL THROUGHOUT THE DAY. SPOTTY SHOWER OR TWO, BUT CERTAINLY NOT A WASHOUT. BUT COMING UP, WE’LL HAVE A CLOSER LOOK AT THE LATEST TIMING OF THE RAIN AND WHERE TEMPERATURES GO FROM HERE. PEYTON. MAN, RIGHT NOW I WANT HIS BODY TO REST. THAT’S WHAT I WANT TO FINALLY JUST SEE MY BOY. I HAVEN’T BEEN ABLE TO SEE HIM SINCE YESTERDAY MORNING, AND I JUST WANT TO LAY HIM TO REST. I WANT TO SEE MY BOY AND AND IT’S HARD WAITING. WAITING, WAITING TO SEE MY SON. THAT WAS THE MOTHER OF AN EIGHT YEAR OLD BOY REMEMBERING HER SON. DEPUTIES SAY LIONEL CERVANTES RAN FROM A CLASSROOM THURSDAY AT BELL’S CROSSING ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. HIS BODY LATER FOUND IN A NEARBY POND. ON FRIDAY, THE CORONER RULING HIS DEATH AS AN ACCIDENTAL DROWNING. LAST NIGHT, A VIGIL FOR LIONEL CERVANTES, JUST ONE DAY AFTER THAT FRANTIC SEARCH ENDED IN TRAGEDY. LIONEL’S MOTHER SPOKE EXCLUSIVELY WITH WYFF NEWS FOUR. JUST AHEAD OF THAT VIGIL, OUR NIGHT STANLEY HAS WHAT SHE HAD TO SAY. LOWE WAS A BEAUTIFUL CHILD. HE WAS HE WAS FEARLESS. HE WOULD SAY HI TO EVERYONE. THERE’S TIMES WHEN HE WOULD SAY HI TO AN ADULT. THAT’S HOW DALIA CERVANTES IS REMEMBERING HER EIGHT YEAR OLD SON, LIONEL. HE DROWNED IN A POND AFTER GOING MISSING FROM SCHOOL ON THURSDAY, AND HE WOULD GIVE RANDOM HUGS OUT OF NOWHERE TO PEOPLE. HE WOULD BE LIKE, HEY, I LOVE YOU AND PEOPLE WOULD BE LIKE, OH MY GOD. ON FRIDAY, DALIA WAS JOINED BY DOZENS OF FAMILY AND FRIENDS OUTSIDE OF BELLS CROSSING ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. FAMILY MEMBERS HELD EACH OTHER PRAYING TOGETHER OR BY THEMSELVES. CHILDREN PLACING SPIDER-MAN TOYS ALONG THE MEMORIAL, OTHERS LEAVING CANDLES AND FLOWERS. YOU CAN’T BELIEVE IT BECAUSE THEY’RE IN SCHOOL, RIGHT? HER SON WAS IN SCHOOL. SHE DROPPED OFF HER SON THINKING, YOU KNOW, SHE WAS GOING TO PICK HIM UP AT FIVE. YOU KNOW, THE TIME THAT HE’S OUT A ROCK OUTSIDE OF THE SCHOOL WAS ALSO PAINTED IN MEMORY OF LEO WITH A SPIDERMAN MASK IN THE WORDS FOREVER IN OUR HEARTS. A DAY LATER AND STILL PROCESSING THURSDAY’S TRAGEDY, DALIA IS STILL ASKING QUESTIONS FROM THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND CALLING FOR JUSTICE. I SAW THE VIDEO AND IT’S COMPLETE NEGLIGENCE. IT’S NOT FAIR THAT LITTLE HAD TO LOSE HIS LIFE THIS WAY, THE WAY THEY FOUND HIM. YOU KNOW? YOU KNOW, I WANT JUSTICE FOR LEO. AND I’M GOING TO GET IT. I’M GOING TO FIGHT FOR MY SON BECAUSE THIS IS NOT FAIR. THAT WAS NATE STANLEY REPORTING THE GREENVILLE COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT SENT US A STATEMENT YESTERDAY AFTERNOON THAT READS, IN PART, OUR INITIAL REVIEW INDICATES DECISIONS BY SCHOOL PERSONNEL WERE MADE RAPIDLY AND REFLECTED THE URGENCY OF THE CIRCUMSTANCE AND WERE IN LINE WITH THE TRAINING AND KNOWLEDGE OF THIS STUDENT AND TURNING TO THE INVESTIGATION INTO LIONEL CERVANTES DEATH. GREENVILLE COUNTY SCHOOLS SAYS IT’S BEGINNING AN INTERNAL INVESTIGATION. THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE SAYS IT DOES NOT EXPECT ANY CHARGES TO BE FILED. THE CORONER RULED LIONEL’S DEATH AS AN ACCIDENTAL DROWNING. NOW, THEY SAY THEY BELIEVE HE WAS IN THE WATER FOR AN HOUR AND DID NOT FIND ANY SIGNS OF TRAUMA OR FOUL PLAY. WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN RIGHT NOW IS TO HAVE SOME DEBRIEFS WITH EVERYONE WHO MAY HAVE SEEN SOMETHING AND TALK TO THEM. STUDENTS AND STAFF WERE BACK IN SCHOOL YESTERDAY WITH COUNSELORS ON HAND AND A GOFUNDME HAS BEEN CREATED TO HELP PAY FOR CERVANTES FUNERAL. PEOPLE HAVE SHOWN SO MUCH SUPPORT. THE DONATIONS HAVE EXCEEDED THEIR FUNDING GOAL. TAKE A LOOK. MANY LOCAL BUSINESSES LIKE PAPA’S AND BEER ON HAYWOOD ROAD ARE HELPING OUT. LIONEL’S MOTHER, DALIA, APPARENTLY USED TO WORK THERE. THE EMPLOYEES SAY THEY’RE ALL STILL VERY CLOSE FRIENDS, AND THEY TELL US THEY’RE WILLING TO DO WHATEVER THEY CAN TO HELP. DALIA, BEING A GOOD FRIEND OF OURS, YOU KNOW, IT’S JUST THE EASIEST WAY FOR US TO CONTRIBUTE. EVEN THOUGH, YOU KNOW, VERY HARD ON HER PART. BUT YOU KNOW, I FEEL THAT MAYBE BUSINESSES CAN HELP OUT FAMILIES IN TIMES. TOUGH TIMES NOWADAYS. THE GOFUNDME GOAL WAS ORIGINALLY JUST $25,000. SO FAR, IT’S RAISED MORE THAN $78,000. MY GOODNESS AND QUESTIONS LOOMED ABOUT CERVANTES DEATH. CERVANTES, WE KNOW, LIVED WITH AUTISM. HE AND HOW HE COULD HAVE MADE HIS WAY TO THIS NEARBY POND WHERE HIS BODY WAS EVENTUALLY FOUND. MANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS. ARE RASHAD WILLIAMS SPOKE WITH THE OWNERS OF AQUA ANGELS TO PROVIDE A LITTLE PERSPECTIVE. FIRST OFF, AQUA ANGELS IS A NONPROFIT THAT PROVIDES AFFORDABLE AND ACCESSIBLE SWIM LESSONS AS WELL AS GENERAL WATER SAFETY FOR ALL AGES. THE GROUP SAYS THEY HAVE SEVERAL CLIENTS AROUND LIONEL’S AGE WHO LIVE WITH AUTISM, SO THIS HITS CLOSE TO HOME. IT’S HEART WRENCHING TO KNOW THAT THAT LITTLE BOY WENT TO SCHOOL AND DIDN’T GET TO GO HOME. AUTHORITIES CONFIRMING LIONEL CERVANTES RAN OUT OF CLASS IN THE BUILDING BEFORE HE WENT MISSING. ONCE I FOUND OUT THAT HE WAS A CHILD WHO WAS ON THE SPECTRUM, MY MIND IMMEDIATELY WENT TO, DID THEY CHECK THE WATER? LIONEL’S BODY WAS EVENTUALLY DISCOVERED IN A NEARBY POND, ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL AUTISM ASSOCIATION, ROUGHLY 49% OF CHILDREN WITH AUTISM ATTEMPT TO ELOPE FROM A SAFE ENVIRONMENT. AQUA ANGELS SAYS CHILDREN ON THE SPECTRUM TEND TO GRAVITATE TOWARDS WATER, ESPECIALLY DURING AN EPISODE OF ELOPEMENT. THEY JUST CAN’T HELP IT. THEIR SENSES ARE GEARED TO IT. IT’S IT LOOKS REALLY NEAT. IT DRAWS YOU IN. SOMETIMES THE SMELL OF CHLORINE OR THE SMELL OF WATER HITS THEIR SENSES DIFFERENTLY THAN THEY DO NEUROTYPICAL CHILDREN OR PEOPLE. THE ASSOCIATION ALSO SAYS DROWNING IS AMONG THE LEADING CAUSES OF DEATH OF INDIVIDUALS WITH AUTISM, AND THOSE INDIVIDUALS ARE 160 TIMES AS LIKELY TO DIE FROM DROWNING AS THE GENERAL PEDIATRIC POPULATION. BACK TO YOU. IN SPARTANBURG COUNTY, THE CORONER WAS CALLED TO THE HOSPITAL AFTER A CRASH IN GREER. NOW, THIS WAS 630 YESTERDAY AFTERNOON ON HIGHWAY 101 NEAR SHARON CHURCH ROAD. TROOPERS SAY A HONDA SEDAN WENT OFF THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, HIT A UTILITY POLE AND OVERTURNED. THE CORONER SAYS 65 YEAR OLD LAWRENCE SCOTT LATER DIED AT THE HOSPITAL. AND ANOTHER DEADLY CRASH, THIS TIME IN LAWRENCE COUNTY. TROOPERS SAY THIS HAPPENED JUST BEFORE TEN YESTERDAY MORNING ON INTERSTATE 26, NEAR MILE MARKER 46. WE’RE TOLD A TRACTOR TRAILER WAS TRAVELING EAST. IT SLOWED TO A STOP BEFORE BACKING UP, AND TROOPERS SAY THAT CAUSED THE TRUCK TO JACKKNIFE, HITTING A MEDIAN BARRIER. THE CORONER HAS NOT RELEASED THIS DRIVER’S NAME. AND ANOTHER DEADLY CRASH IS UNDER INVESTIGATION. THIS ONE IS IN CHEROKEE COUNTY. TROOPERS SAY A JEEP WAS GOING WEST ON HIGHWAY 110. THREE MILES WEST OF GAFFNEY. THE JEEP WENT OFF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ROAD, HIT A FENCE POST, AND FLIPPED OVER. TROOPERS SAY THAT DRIVER DIED. THE CORONER HAS NOT RELEASED THE VICTIM’S NAME. IN SOUTH CAROLINA, CONGRESSMAN JOE WILSON HAS PROVIDED AN UPDATE TO CONGRESSMAN’S TEAM POSTING ON X LAST NIGHT SAYING HE RECEIVED A PACEMAKER. NOW, THE POST ALSO SAYS HE’S EXPECTED TO BE RELEASED FROM THE HOSPITAL IN JUST A FEW DAYS, AND IS RECOVERING QUICKLY. THE CONGRESSMAN COLLAPSED ON TUESDAY AT AN EVENT IN WASHINGTON, DC AND IN GREER. A FIRE AT THE HONEYWELL PLANT IS UNDER INVESTIGATION. OFFICIALS SAY ON FRIDAY AFTERNOON, CREWS WERE CALLED TO A CHEMICAL FIRE INSIDE THE PLANT. IT REQUIRED A HAZMAT RESPONSE. NOW MOP UP CONTINUED INTO THE AFTERNOON. NO INJURIES HAVE BEEN REPORTED. THE CAUSE OF THIS FIRE IS STILL UNDER INVESTIGATION. AND ANDERSON COUNTY DEPUTIES SAY A MAN HAS BEEN ARRESTED AFTER ATTACKING AND KIDNAPING A CLEMSON UNIVERSITY STUDENT. WE’RE TOLD THIS WAS AT AN OFF CAMPUS APARTMENT COMPLEX TUESDAY MORNING. DEPUTIES SAY DARRELL BROOKS ASKED A YOUNG WOMAN TO GIVE HIM A RIDE IN HER CAR. THEY SAY DURING THE CAR RIDE, BROOKS FORCED THAT STUDENT TO PULL INTO A CHURCH PARKING LOT AND THEN ATTACKED HER. A PERSON WAS DRIVING BY AND HEARD THE YOUNG WOMAN SCREAMING FOR HELP. THAT WOMAN WAS ABLE TO ESCAPE THAT VEHICLE. OCONEE COUNTY DEPUTIES WITNESSED BROOKS CRASHED THIS CAR. HE WAS IMMEDIATELY ARRESTED. HE’S NOW FACING SEVERAL CHARGES, INCLUDING KIDNAPING AND THE SUNDAY ON. FOR THE RECORD, WE’RE TALKING ABOUT SPIRIT WEEK AND THE TREMENDOUS IMPACT THEY HAVE ON OUR COMMUNITIES OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS. GREENVILLE COUNTY HIGH SCHOOLS HAVE RAISED MORE THAN $4.6 MILLION FOR UPSTATE CHARITIES. EASTSIDE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT BODY PRESIDENT CAROLYN DOLAN SAYS HER STUDENT COUNCIL SELECTED CHILDREN’S CANCER PARTNERS OF THE CAROLINAS AS THIS YEAR’S NONPROFIT. IT’S SO SPECIAL THAT WE CAN PLAN SOMETHING THAT’S FUN FOR OUR ENTIRE STUDENT BODY, BUT ALSO GET THEM EXCITED ABOUT WHY WE’RE PLANNING THE SPIRIT WEEK IN THE FIRST PLACE. WE’RE DOING IT FOR THE CHARITY TO HELP FAMILIES IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND IT REALLY IS JUST SO SPECIAL. WE’LL TALK WITH FOUR STUDENT LEADERS ABOUT THE GROUPS THEY’RE SUPPORTING THIS FALL. PLUS, ATHLETICS DIRECTOR DARRELL NANCE, WHO WAS A STUDENT WHEN SPIRIT WEEK ALL BEGAN. JOIN US SUNDAY MORNI
Tip on missing person’s location led deputies to ill-treatment of animals arrests
Updated: 11:57 AM EDT Sep 14, 2024
The Florence County Sheriff’s Office announced Saturday that two people had been arrested for the ill-treatment of animals.(Video above: WYFF News 4 Morning Headlines)On Sept. 12, deputies were called to 515 Main St., Timmonsville, after receiving information about a possible location for a missing woman. While the missing woman has since been found at a different location, deputies immediately noticed something else upon their arrival.According to deputies, they found nine dogs chained to trees with inadequate shelter and water.Deputies said several of these dogs appeared to have bite marks, scars and serious injuries, some of which required veterinary care. The Florence County Animal Control was called to rescue the dogs from the property, and as a result of this abuse, two people were arrested.Law enforcement arrested 39-year-old Susan Elaine Griggs who lives at the same address the dogs were found. Griggs was charged with ill-treatment of animals.The second suspect arrested for ill-treatment of animals was 30-year-old Dwayne Harris, who lives on Keystone Road in Timmonsville.
TIMMONSVILLE, S.C. —
The Florence County Sheriff’s Office announced Saturday that two people had been arrested for the ill-treatment of animals.
(Video above: WYFF News 4 Morning Headlines)
On Sept. 12, deputies were called to 515 Main St., Timmonsville, after receiving information about a possible location for a missing woman. While the missing woman has since been found at a different location, deputies immediately noticed something else upon their arrival.
According to deputies, they found nine dogs chained to trees with inadequate shelter and water.
Deputies said several of these dogs appeared to have bite marks, scars and serious injuries, some of which required veterinary care.
The Florence County Animal Control was called to rescue the dogs from the property, and as a result of this abuse, two people were arrested.
Law enforcement arrested 39-year-old Susan Elaine Griggs who lives at the same address the dogs were found. Griggs was charged with ill-treatment of animals.
Florence County Sheriff’s Office
The second suspect arrested for ill-treatment of animals was 30-year-old Dwayne Harris, who lives on Keystone Road in Timmonsville.
Florence County Sheriff’s Office
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