Benedict student bleeds to death in dorm
A 19-year-old student bled to death after delivering a child in her Benedict College dorm room.
The woman was approximately 32 weeks pregnant and had a natural childbirth. It is not yet known if the child was alive at the time of the birth.
The student’s body was found in her dorm room, where she did not have a roommate. Richland
Coroner Gary Watts said that medical attention could have saved her life, according to WIS.
Watts said that the initial investigation showed no signs of foul play.
Benedict issued a statement following her death, saying, “The Benedict College family is deeply saddened this evening about the unexpected loss of one of its students.”
— Hannah Jeffrey, Assistant News Editor
Students and driver being examined after bus accident
A bus driver and three students are being examined at a local hospital after an SUV collided with the bus they were in Thursday morning, according to WIS.
The crash happened at the intersection of Old Wire Road and Highway 21 in West Columbia. WIS reported that a witness saw the SUV under the school bus.
The three students and bus driver are expected to be fine and are being examined for precautionary reasons.
The bus was headed to Busbee Creative Arts Academy in Cayce.
“Lexington School District Two is very fortunate to have the response teams of county police, fire and rescue who were on the scene quickly and understand the urgency when students are involved,” District Assistant Superintendent Jim Hinton said.
It was not clear Thursday if anyone in the SUV had been injured.
— Hannah Jeffrey, Assistant News Editor
Haley replaces director of state Department of Corrections
Gov. Nikki Haley has named her chief of staff the director of the state Department of Corrections, The State reported.
Bryan Stirling became Haley’s chief of staff last October after Haley’s former right-hand man, Tim Pearson, left to take over Haley’s political operation.
Haley said she has not selected a new chief of staff, saying, “I’m going to take that step by step.”
Stirling, a 43-year-old USC graduate, served as deputy attorney general under attorneys general Henry McMaster and Alan Wilson.
He will replace current director William R. Byars Jr. on Oct. 1, when he will begin overseeing South Carolina’s 26 prisons, a $420 million budget, 5,700 employees and approximately 22,000 inmates.
— Hannah Jeffrey, Assistant News Editor