South Carolina Father And Daughter Reproduce — Their Offspring Dies
Laurens County Sheriff’s OfficeJames Travis Brown and Katlyn Edwards
A father and daughter from South Carolina are facing incest-related criminal charges after their baby ended up dead.
James Travis Brown (38) and his biological daughter, Katlyn Lauren Edwards (21), were both charged with incest on Oct. 22. Edwards and Brown were reportedly engaged in a consensual sexual relationship at the time that their child was conceived. Both parties allegedly confirmed their relationship in interviews with investigators and that authorities found additional evidence that supported this claim.
The child later died at a medical facility in Charleston, S.C., although the circumstances of the death were unclear.
Sheriff Don Reynolds said in a statement:
“It is beyond my comprehension how this could take place between a father and daughter. At this time, I can’t confirm the baby died from complications related to incest, however, we wonder if that’s the case We are working with medical professionals and the Solicitors Office regarding that aspect of the investigation and will update everyone if there are any additional charges.”
In South Carolina, incest is treated as a felony offense, and those charged with incest could receive a minimum of one year in prison and a minimum $500 fine. And incest is defined as “carnal intercourse” with any of the following: parent, child, aunt, uncle, niece, nephew, grandparent, grandchild, or sibling (in whole or half-blood).
Higher-degree charges of incest beget harsher punishment, and it is unclear if the fact that Brown and Edwards gave birth a baby to will play a role in their case. If it turns out that the child did, in fact, die due to complications as a result of the incestuous relationship, Brown and Edwards might face harsher punishment for their alleged relationship.
A press release from the Laurens County Sheriff’s Office states that Edwards was arrested on Oct. 22 and was taken to the Johnson Detention Center, while her father is currently serving prison time in another county for unrelated charges.
According to People, Brown will be transferred to Johnson Detention Center to face charges for incest in Laurens County once his other prison term has been completed.
