Courtney Danielle Taylor has three kids, ages 12, 13, and 15, and they live in upstate South Carolina.
Cemetery Island, known to some as “Ghost Island,” sits in Lake Hartwell. The island is home to an estate owned by a Revolutionary War soldier, and many grave sites are still accessible.
On June 13, Taylor and her boyfriend Eric Michael Elrod reportedly took the children to Cemetery Island for an overnight camping trip.
On the morning of June 14, Taylor and Elrod reportedly told the kids that they were going to get some water, and the children stayed behind.
Just before 4:00 PM, a boater in the area saw the children by themselves, and the authorities were notified.
Investigators from Anderson County, South Carolina, questioned the underage bunch. It was reported that the kids said they had been alone since their mother and her boyfriend left to get water.
During their efforts to locate Taylor and Elrod, it was reported that the authorities noticed their car was no longer where it was presumably parked the night before. It was believed that they were missing persons, and their information was added to the database for the National Crime Information Center.
Taylor was tracked down and taken into custody. She was booked into the Pickens County Jail on suspicion of three counts of unlawful neglect of a child. After spending the night in jail, Taylor posted a $15,000 personal recognizance bond, and she was released from incarceration.
The authorities have not yet found Elrod, who has active bench warrants out of the Pickens County Sheriff’s Office, from allegations of distribution of methamphetamine and other charges.
If you or someone you love is suspected of a domestic violence offense, contact Orange County criminal defense lawyer Staycie R. Sena at (949) 477-8088 for a consultation now.