Caretaker arrested, charged in fire deaths of children
Matthew Andrae Graham Jr.
After a devastating Christmas Eve incident which claimed the lives of two young children, authorities have charged Matthew Andrae Graham Jr.(seen here) with two counts of homicide by child abuse following a fatal house fire that claimed the lives of two young siblings.
The fire, which broke out at approximately 6:45 p.m. at a residence on Cedar Ridge Road in the Dovesville area, resulted in the deaths of three-year-old Avery and his two-year-old sister Sy’Riah. The toddlers were rushed to Carolina Pines Regional Medical Center in Hartsville, where they later succumbed to their injuries.
According to arrest warrants obtained by the Darlington County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO), Graham allegedly left the children alone in the home, demonstrating what authorities described as “extreme indifference to human life through fatal neglect.”
Graham is now in custody and is being held at the W. Glenn Campbell Detention Center. He awaits a bond hearing for charges that could result in a sentence ranging from 20 years to life imprisonment.
The children’s mother, who has requested privacy regarding their family name, has received an outpouring of community support. A GoFundMe campaign has been established to assist the family during this difficult time.
The incident remains under investigation by the Darlington County Sheriff’s Office.
