Moncks Corner, South Carolina — A Moncks Corner woman, 53-year-old Anne Lachell Sellers, has been arrested and charged with Unlawful Conduct Toward a Minor after allegedly placing her 12-year-old granddaughter in serious danger during a jet ski outing gone wrong.

According to Berkeley County Sheriff Duane Lewis, the incident occurred around 12:30 p.m. when Sellers and her granddaughter took separate jet skis out on the water. One of the jet skis reportedly began malfunctioning, leaving them stranded. Rather than seeking help through safe channels, Sellers allegedly instructed her 12-year-old granddaughter to swim back to the boat landing to get help—a decision that authorities say put the child at grave risk.

Emergency responders from multiple agencies, including the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office Marine Patrol and Dive Team, the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, the U.S. Coast Guard, the Naval Weapons Station Fire Department, and the Pimlico Fire Department, launched a water rescue operation in response to a 911 call made by Sellers.

The young girl was eventually located in a marshy area approximately 600 yards from the boat ramp, suffering from cuts and abrasions to her arms and legs. She was rescued by first responders and transported to an area hospital for treatment and evaluation.

During the investigation, authorities discovered that Anne Lachell Sellers had initially provided misleading information and was not truthful about the circumstances leading up to the child’s distress. The evidence suggested Sellers acted negligently by sending the juvenile alone into unsafe conditions to swim for help.

Sheriff Lewis did not mince words in his response:

“Careless decisions that endanger the lives of juveniles will not be tolerated, and we will prosecute to the fullest extent of the law. Not only was this child’s life put at risk, but so were the lives of our first responders who entered dangerous conditions to conduct the rescue. These actions are unacceptable and criminally negligent.”

The South Carolina Department of Social Services has been notified and is now involved in the case. Anne Lachell Sellers is currently being held at the Hill-Finklea Detention Center awaiting a bond hearing.

This incident has raised concerns across the Moncks Corner community and underscores the critical importance of responsible adult supervision, especially during recreational water activities involving minors. The investigation remains ongoing, and further action may be taken depending on the outcome of continued inquiries.