A case of possible child abuse involving U.S. congressman Mark Sanford has been closed, multiple sources familiar with the status of the investigation tell us.
It’s not immediately clear what sort of resolution was reached regarding the case, but we’ve reached out to both the S.C. State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) and the S.C. fourteenth circuit solicitor’s office in the hopes of obtaining whatever information is publicly available in connection with the matter.
To recap: The incident in question allegedly took place on Sanford’s Coosaw family plantation in Dale, S.C. on June 18 – and is said to have involved the young daughter of Sanford’s brother, John Sanford, and his wife, Julia Umbreit.
According to our sources, Sanford roughed up the girl and dangled her “by her ankles off (a) dock” – threatening to drop her into the shallow water below.
What prompted this alleged outburst? The politician was angry after the girl doused him with a water gun, we’re told.
“Mark was pissed because she had squirted him with a water gun so he chased her around until he trapped her bruised and bleeding on the roof of (a) dock,” our source told us at the time.
The next day the girl was “limping noticeably” as a result of her injuries – and was taken to see a pediatrician. The pediatrician who attended to the girl is said to have told her mother that if she did not report the matter to authorities, he would.
On June 21 – three days after the alleged incident took place – deputies with the Beaufort County, S.C. sheriff’s office interviewed Umbreit and her daughter and “took pictures of (the girl’s) injuries.”
Deputies also “conducted a recorded interview” with the girl and obtained from her a drawing of the dock where the incident allegedly took place. Additionally, they subpoenaed medical records in connection with the alleged incident – and obtained several statements and text messages as part of their inquiry.
After conducting these initial inquiries, Beaufort County referred the matter to SLED “for further investigation.”
(To view the first round of redacted documents related to this case for yourself, CLICK HERE).
Developing …
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