Grandmother arrested weeks after child drowned in Summerville retention pond

SUMMERVILLE, S.C. (WCBD) – A grandmother is facing a charge of unlawful conduct toward a child after police say her 2-year-old grandson was found dead in a Summerville retention pond earlier this month.

Officers with the Summerville Police Department responded to the Central Commons community on July 8 where they recovered the child’s body from a retention pond.

According to an affidavit, the child who drowned was nonverbal and was in the process of an autistic diagnosis. The report further says the woman had prior knowledge that the child would walk out of the home, which he had done three times in the past.

Documents provided to News 2 allege that the grandmother, Faith Robinson, left the front door to the home open – and a screen door closed and unlocked – while the child was in the living room.

While outside in a vehicle, the affidavit says that security video showed the child walking out of the front door and heading toward the front of the community.

“The defendant then entered the residence and advised the homeowner that she was leaving. The defendant no longer saw the child in the living room and left with the assumption that the child was upstairs, but without physically laying eyes on this,” the affidavit stated. “About 30 minutes later, law enforcement made contact with family to advise the family that the child was found deceased in a retention pond.”

Robinson was later arrested and charged with unlawful conduct toward a child for placing the child at an unreasonable risk which affected their life.

She was booked into the Dorchester County Detention Center.