Marion Co. parents accused of hiding children from social services, leaving baby in hot car

MARION COUNTY, S.C. (WMBF) - Two Marion County parents are accused of placing children at risk and failing to enroll them in school.

Marion County Sheriff’s Office said 27-year-old Allee Barton and 32-year-old Mitchell Randolph Barton, both of Gresham, allegedly refused to disclose the location of two of their school-aged children and hid them when law enforcement conducted a check at the home.

The sheriff’s office said the pair allegedly kept the children out of school to avoid contact with the Department of Social Services.

When deputies arrived at the Barton’s home for a call assisting DSS deputies heard a crying infant and discovered the 1-year-old inside of a car with no air conditioning while the temperatures outside were 85 degrees. While in the car deputies also discovered a “crystal-like substance” resembling methamphetamines near the child.

The child had shortness of breath and was taken by EMS to an area hospital and has since been released.

All three children are now in the custody of DSS.

“Our deputies took this call to heart and have worked tirelessly for these three innocent children,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement.

The Bartons are charged with unlawfully placing a child at risk or harm, failure to enroll, or cause a child to attend school, contributing to the delinquency of a minor and obstructing justice. Allee Barton also faces possession of less than one gram of meth or cocaine base.

They were booked at the Marion County Detention Center but have since been released on bond.

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