SUMTER COUNTY, S.C. — A violent video circulating online has led to three arrests and multiple children being put in the custody of the Department of Social Services.
The Sumter County Sheriff's Office said it learned through a family member of a video on Thursday that showed an "egregious assault" on an elderly woman by juveniles whose ages weren't provided.
According to the sheriff's office, an investigation uncovered that a man named John Daniel McGregor Jr. was leaving the juveniles with his elderly aunt for sometimes several days.
During this time, another family member Malika White was present while the children repeatedly attacked the elderly victim and failed to stop them. The sheriff's office said White could even be heard telling one child to hit the victim with a large cooking pot.
Investigators ultimately arrested McGregor and White as well as another suspect, Darnesha Sanders, all of Stamey Livestock Road, on three counts each of contributing to the delinquency of a minor and one of abuse of a vulnerable adult.
Sheriff Anthony Dennis described the video that preceded the arrests as "disturbing" and "extremely difficult to watch."
"This incident will be investigated fully by my agency and all parties will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law," he said in a statement. "The investigation is ongoing and more charges may be possible."
The sheriff's office announcement said that multiple warrants are still pending.
