COLUMBIA, S.C. — Bond has been set for a mother accused by the Richland County Sheriff's Department of taking her two biological children from a Department of Social Services (DSS) facility Thursday evening.
Authorities said the mother, 27-year-old Destinee Dinkins, does not have legal custody of the children. The children were found early Friday morning with her and were reported to be in good health. However, Richland County authorities did not elaborate on where they were found.
According to the sheriff’s department, Dinkins entered the DSS facility before leaving with her biological children. She now faces multiple charges, including third-degree assault and battery, as well as two counts related to unlawfully transporting children under the age of 16.
Dinkins appeared before a judge at the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center on Friday for a bond hearing. A bond was granted, but strict conditions were imposed. These include no direct or indirect contact with the children’s legal guardian, staying at least 1,000 feet away from their legal guardian, and wearing a GPS monitoring device.
News19 contacted DSS to understand how Dinkins was able to leave the facility with the children. DSS directed inquiries to the sheriff’s department, citing the ongoing criminal investigation. News19 has also requested an incident report from the sheriff’s department but has not yet received a response.
Dinkins is scheduled to appear in court on Jan. 31. This is a developing story, and updates will be provided as more information becomes available.