Mother of 4 Children Killed in S.C. Fire Arrested

HARTSVILLE, S.C. -- The mother of four children killed Wednesday afternoon in a mobile home fire in Hartsville was arrested Thursday night on one count of unlawful conduct toward a child.

Hope Hawkins was booked at the Darlington County Detention Center about 9:30 p.m. Additional charges are forthcoming, Darlington County Sheriff's Capt. Andy Locklair said.

Hawkins' four small children -- twin 10-month-old girls and two brothers, ages 3 and 4 -- died in a mobile home fire at their residence on Depot Street, where Timothy Century and Hope Hawkins (mother of the children) lived.

The charge deals with parents are guardians who place the children for whom they are responsible at "unreasonable risk." The statue reads, in part: "S.C. law prohibits any person who has charge or custody of a child or who is parent or guardian of a child or any person who is responsible for the welfare of the child from placing the child at unreasonable risk of harm or doing or causing any bodily harm to the child which endangers the life or health of the child or willfully abandoning the child."

Investigators spoke with Hawkins soon after Wednesday's fire, but the precise facts of the matter are still uncertain.

According to Timothy Century, who lived at the home and was the boyfriend of Hawkins' mother, Hope Hawkins was just outside of the home, on her way to or from the mailbox, when the fire happened close to 2 p.m. Wednesday. Neighbors say the blaze quickly spread through the home before anyone could reach the children. Firefighters arrived quickly, but could not reach the child because of the fire's ferocity.

Later, firefighters found the bodies of brothers 2-year-old Camaron Mason and 4-year-old Delonta Dixon holding their twin, 10-month-old sisters Myasia Hawkins and Kynasia Hawkins. Hartsville Mayor Mel Pennington, a volunteer firefighter who was one of the first responders on the scene, said the children were found in a closet. An autopsy report showed they died from smoke inhalation.

The home is at 811 Depot St.

The investigation into the fire, which is ongoing, is being conducted by the Darlington County Sheriff's Office and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division. The addition of the latter group is standard procedure in fires that involve multiple deaths, Darlington County Sheriff Wayne Byrd said.

Law enforcement officials have called a press conference for Friday morning.

Copyright 2013 - Florence Morning News, S.C.