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Urgent Enforcement Added Final

SC AG: Couple Charged with Additional Death

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Filed March 19th, 2026
Detected March 20th, 2026
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Summary

South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson announced that Cynthia and Reginald Kelly, already facing charges for neglect resulting in death, have been served with additional arrest warrants. The new charges include abuse or neglect resulting in death and great bodily injury, stemming from alleged failures to provide essential care to residents at a community residential care facility.

What changed

The South Carolina Attorney General's office has issued additional arrest warrants for Cynthia and Reginald Kelly, who were previously charged with neglect resulting in death. The Vulnerable Adults and Medicaid Provider Fraud unit (VAMPF) has identified an additional victim whose death is alleged to have occurred due to the Kellys' neglect between November 9, 2024, and December 5, 2024, while they operated the Park Circle Home Community Residential Care Facility. Cynthia Kelly also faces charges for criminally neglecting a third individual, resulting in great bodily harm.

These new charges, including Abuse or Neglect of a Vulnerable Adult Resulting in Death and Great Bodily Injury, add to the existing legal jeopardy for the Kellys. The case will be prosecuted by the South Carolina Office of the Attorney General. Regulated entities operating community residential care facilities, particularly those serving vulnerable adults and Medicaid beneficiaries, should review their care protocols, supervision standards, and reporting mechanisms to ensure compliance with South Carolina's abuse and neglect statutes.

What to do next

  1. Review protocols for care of vulnerable adults in residential facilities.
  2. Ensure adequate staffing and supervision levels are maintained.
  3. Verify compliance with all essential care, goods, and services requirements for residents.

Penalties

Charges include Abuse or Neglect of a Vulnerable Adult Resulting in Death and Great Bodily Injury.

Source document (simplified)

MAR 19, 2026

Attorney General Alan Wilson announces couple already charged with neglect resulting in death now charged with additional death

(COLUMBIA, S.C.) - South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson announced that his office's Vulnerable Adults and Medicaid Provider Fraud unit (VAMPF) has served additional arrest warrants on Cynthia Kelly and Reginald Kelly. This follows the Unit’s initial arrest warrants served on March 3, 2026.

During the Unit’s investigation, authorities identified an additional victim whose death occurred while under the Kellys’ care. It is alleged that Cynthia and Reginald Kelly, while acting as caregivers and operators at the Park Circle Home Community Residential Care Facility, failed to provide essential care, goods, or services needed to protect the residents’ health and safety from November 9, 2024, to December 5, 2024. This included basic necessities such as food, clothing, medication, shelter, supervision, and medical care. Investigators assert that this neglect or omission caused or created a substantial risk of physical injury, ultimately contributing to the vulnerable adult's death.

Additionally, during the search warrant executed on March 3, 2026, investigators identified a third individual who, they allege, Cynthia Kelly criminally neglected, resulting in great bodily harm to that Vulnerable Adult resident between February 24, 2026, and March 3, 2026.

Cynthia Kelly faces the following additional charges:

  • One count of Abuse or Neglect of a Vulnerable Adult Resulting in Death {§ 43-35-85(F)}
  • One count of Abuse or Neglect of a Vulnerable Adult Resulting in Great Bodily Injury {§ 43-35-85(F)}
    Reginald Kelly faces the following additional charge:

  • One count of Abuse or Neglect of a Vulnerable Adult Resulting in Death {§ 43-35-85(F)}
    This case will be prosecuted by the South Carolina Office of the Attorney General.

Information related to the Unit’s March 3, 2026, arrest may be found here.

Pursuant to federal regulations, VAMPF has authority over Medicaid provider fraud; abuse and neglect of Medicaid beneficiaries in any setting; and the abuse, neglect, and exploitation of individuals residing in assisted living facilities or nursing homes.

Attorney General Wilson stressed that all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until they are proven guilty in a court of law.

The South Carolina Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, dba VAMPF, receives 75 percent of its funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under a grant award totaling $2,964,287 for federal fiscal year 2026. The remaining 25 percent, totaling $988,096 for FFY 2026, is funded by South Carolina.

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Media Contact

For media inquiries please contact Robert Kittle, [email protected] or 803-734-3670

Media Contact

Named provisions

Abuse or Neglect of a Vulnerable Adult Resulting in Death Abuse or Neglect of a Vulnerable Adult Resulting in Great Bodily Injury

Source

Analysis generated by AI. Source diff and links are from the original.

Classification

Agency
GP
Filed
March 19th, 2026
Instrument
Enforcement
Legal weight
Binding
Stage
Final
Change scope
Substantive
Document ID
§ 43-35-85(F)

Who this affects

Applies to
Healthcare providers
Industry sector
6211 Healthcare Providers
Activity scope
Vulnerable Adult Care Medicaid Provider Fraud
Geographic scope
US-SC US-SC

Taxonomy

Primary area
Healthcare
Operational domain
Compliance
Topics
Vulnerable Adult Protection Criminal Justice

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