Authorities said the girl had frail bones, walked with a limp and had no education records located beyond kindergarten.
BOWMAN, S.C. — A 43-year-old South Carolina woman has been charged with unlawful conduct toward a child after authorities found a 12-year-old girl weighing 47 pounds and suffering from what investigators described as severe malnutrition, according to the Orangeburg County Sheriff’s Office.
Authorities identified the woman as Chiquitta Dawkins of Bowman. Sheriff Leroy Ravenell said deputies went to a location in the community after receiving information about the child’s condition. An arrest warrant cited by the sheriff’s office said investigators found that the girl had frail bones and walked with a limp because of her condition.
Investigators also reported finding no education records for the child after kindergarten, according to an incident report. Authorities have not publicly explained why records were missing or established how long the girl may have been outside a formal school system. The child has not been identified because she is a minor.
Ravenell sharply criticized the circumstances described by investigators, saying there was no reasonable way to consider the girl’s condition acceptable. He described allowing a child to become so sick and malnourished as “the utmost in despicable.” The sheriff’s comments came as his office announced the charge against Dawkins.
Some news reports have described Dawkins as the girl’s mother, including the report carried by Arizona’s Family. Other reporting based on available sheriff’s office material said authorities had not formally confirmed the relationship between Dawkins and the child. An incident report cited by People reportedly listed Dawkins at the same Bowman address associated with the girl’s mother.
People reported that the child was taken to an emergency room Oct. 2 and later treated at Novant Health Hemby Children’s Hospital in Charlotte. Citing local reporting and an incident report, the outlet said the girl required a feeding tube and used a wheelchair during treatment. The sheriff’s office announcement did not provide a current medical condition for the child.
Dawkins was arrested and booked into the Orangeburg-Calhoun Regional Detention Center, according to reports citing authorities and jail information. People reported that she was granted a $35,000 surety bond, citing court records. Conditions reportedly included GPS monitoring and compliance with family court orders and requirements from the South Carolina Department of Social Services.
The charge against Dawkins is an allegation, and the available reports did not indicate that the case had been resolved in court. It was also unclear from the latest reporting whether she had retained an attorney. Authorities had not announced additional charges or publicly released further findings explaining how the child reached the condition described in the arrest warrant.
The case remained under investigation as of Monday. The child’s current condition, the circumstances surrounding her education and the precise relationship between Dawkins and the girl had not been fully clarified in the latest publicly available information.
Author note: Last updated October 26, 2026.