Mom, grandfather charged in death of 2-year-old in Greenville Co.

GREENVILLE COUNTY, S.C. (WSPA) – Two people have been arrested after a 2-year-old was shot in the head Monday night in Greenville County.

The Greenville County Coroner’s Office and the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office responded to Hillcrest Hospital around 8:25 p.m. after a child brought in suffering from a head injury.

The coroner’s office identified the 2-year-old as Zane Sebastian Burgess, of Simpsonville.

“Zane Sebastian Burgess died from a single gunshot wound to the head,” Chief Deputy Coroner Mike Ellis said.

Following an investigation, deputies arrested the child’s mother, 32-year-old Deylakotia Symone Burgess, and 50-year-old Willie Tyrone Burgess Jr., who is Deylakotia’s stepfather.

Deylakotia Burgess was charged with unlawful conduct toward a child. Willie Burgess Jr. was charged with unlawfully placing a child at risk.

“It is extremely tragic when we lose a child, especially to a traumatic event,” Ellis said.

Deputies believe the child was able to obtain the gun inside the home at Ballantyne Commons apartments in Simpsonville where he sustained a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Both suspects were booked into the Greenville County Detention Center on $10,000 bond.

An autopsy was completed Tuesday morning and the coroner’s office says several other tests will be conducted as the investigation continues.

“Before we actually make a ruling, we should coordinate with law enforcement,” Ellis said. “We should do parallel investigation and then together we make the decision what needs to be done after, but it is the authority of the coroner’s office to determine cause and manner of death.”

The cause of death was ruled as a gunshot wound to the head and the manner of death is still pending.

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