Beaufort FOIA Fallout: Independent Investigation Underway

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The parents of 12-year-old Emily Hollis have not stopped pushing for a full investigation into the alleged trafficking of their daughter. Their battle gained significant attention earlier this year after a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request sent by the family to the city of Beaufort, South Carolina returned 9,000 documents – many un-redacted. This disclosure resulted in the exposure of the private information of more than 100 people. 

According to the Hollis family, city officials – and the Beaufort Police Department (BPD) – failed families in their jurisdiction by failing to protect their confidential information from accidental disclosure or unauthorized prying eyes.

As previously reported, Emily Hollis was allegedly taken from her home in February of this year by a 16-year-old boy who was allegedly involved in the trafficking of another Beaufort girl. Hollis met the boy on Snapchat, and according to her parents was “coerced” and “pressured” into leaving their home.

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Despite these indicators, BPD described Hollis as a “runaway” – not an endangered minor abducted by someone tied to drugs and trafficking. She was returned home after being spotted in Florida – but her parents say the local police showed little urgency in investigating her disappearance or searching for her.

Seeking answers, they filed a FOIA request.

That return revealed something alarming: files from the S.C. Department of Social Services (SCDSS), forensic interviews and records of minors not stored on secure servers. The massive disclosure is now under investigation, but the Hollis family questions whether it will adequately address what went wrong. They brought their concerns before city officials in a recent council meeting where their remarks were captured on video.

At issue is not only the release of the documents to the Hollis family — but also the question of who else may have them, and why portions are circulating on social media.

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“Our family, unfortunately has learned how this city handles families,” said Autumn Hollis, Emily’s mother, to city council. “Child forensic interviews not uploaded to secure servers, Facebook crime tips not uploaded to secure servers, DSS records not uploaded to secure servers, child medical records – my daughter is one of those – not uploaded to secure servers.”

“That failure wasn’t just the police department’s lack of care,” she continued. “It was because you, the leaders of this city, signed off on a narrative you never understood and never questioned, and in doing so, you failed our daughter and every family who depends on you to stand up when it matters most.”

The concern was echoed by Kiel Hollis, Emily’s father.

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“The only way to fix these failures is to have an investigation into who has these documents and how they got them,” Kiel Hollis said.

City officials say such an investigation is underway.

After meeting last week, the city selected the law firm of Haynesworth Sinkler Boyd to conduct the ostensibly independent investigation.

“They will report back directly to council at the conclusion of their investigation,” deputy city manager J.J. Sauve said.

Curiously, the city announced Sauve’s upcoming departure this week – which is said to be unrelated to the FOIA controversy. He will remain on the job for two months to ensure the investigation is completed.

“My decision to resign is based solely on balancing my family and career considerations,” Sauve said. “North Carolina has always been home, and with my wife’s growing business, our children’s school and community, and some time-sensitive opportunities involving my return to law practice, the timing was right for us.”

“If anything, the FOIA matter actually delayed my decision because I wanted to be sure the outside investigation we all requested was in place and I would be able to provide full support for its completion before I left,” Sauve added.

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RELATED | SOUTH CAROLINA COPS BLASTED

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The stakes of the investigation extend far beyond bureaucratic missteps. When sensitive data from SCDSS files, forensic interviews and minors’ records is left unsecured, it invites all manner of unintended consequences – including accidental leaks, prying insiders or malicious actors targeting the most sensitive information of children.

Medical histories, Social Security numbers, and the raw details of children’s forensic interviews can end up in the hands of hackers, abusers or identity thieves — exposing children to exploitation. The risks aren’t only legal, they’re deeply personal. Families lose faith in the system, children are re-victimized through the loss of privacy, and the very institutions tasked with protecting them become complicit in the harm.

“All we can do now is pray they choose to do the right thing,” said Autum Hollis. “Not just to figure out how this FOIA was released, but also to find out who else might have it. Did someone email it, take pictures, or print these documents from the city? The thought alone is terrifying.”

“These are not just papers — they hold the most sensitive details about children who have already been through enough,” she continued. “Knowing our daughter’s case, and possibly other children’s cases, could be put in jeopardy breaks us to our core. If these emails were to get out, the people who hurt these kids could walk free. That isn’t justice. That’s a nightmare no family should ever have to face.”

FITSNews will continue to follow this developing situation – and deliver updates as they unfold.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR…

Callie Lyons is a relentless investigative journalist, researcher, and author known for exposing hard truths with heart and precision. As a journalist for FITSNews, she dives into high-profile and murky cases—like that of Mica Francis Miller— with fearless resolve and a sharp eye for detail, whether it’s tracking white-collar crime, uncovering religious abuse, or examining the often-bizarre behavior of those who believe they’re above the law.

Callie made waves with her groundbreaking 2007 book Stain-Resistant, Nonstick, Waterproof and Lethal, the first to reveal the dangers of forever chemicals, a story that helped inspire the film Dark Waters and influenced global scientific dialogue. Her work has appeared in numerous documentaries, including Toxic Soup, National Geographic’s Parched: Toxic Waters, and more recently Citizen Sleuth, which examines the complexities of true crime podcasting.

Whether she’s navigating environmental disasters or the darker corners of society, Lyons operates with one guiding belief: “Truth never damages a cause that is just.”

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