Attorney General Alan Wilson announces North Charleston couple charged with neglect resulting in death and keeping vulnerable adults locked in Community Residential Care Facility

(COLUMBIA, S.C.) – South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson announced that a joint investigation by his office’s Vulnerable Adults and Medicaid Provider Fraud unit (VAMPF) and the North Charleston Police Department, in collaboration with the Charleston County Coroner's Office, has led to the arrests of Cynthia Kelly, 58 years old, and Reginald V. Kelly, 60 years old, both of North Charleston, S.C. The arrests were based on conduct occurring at Park Circle Home, a Community Residential Care Facility (CRCF) located at 1133 Bexley Street in North Charleston, where the Kellys were operators and caregivers.

The Charleston County Coroner’s Office contacted VAMPF after identifying suspicious circumstances related to the death of a resident of the facility. Further investigation revealed that between June 12, 2024, and April 10, 2025, the Kellys’ alleged neglect of the deceased vulnerable adult resident was the cause of that individual's death.

On March 3, 2026, VAMPF, with assistance from the North Charleston Police Department, conducted a search warrant on the property. Two vulnerable adults were found to be locked in a room within the care facility without means of exiting the building. According to investigators, the actions of Cynthia and Reginald Kelly caused, or presented a substantial risk of causing, physical or mental injury to the vulnerable adults.

The Departments of Public Health, Social Services, Health and Human Services, as well as the Long Term Care Ombudsman, responded to assist with removing the residents from Park Circle Home.

Attorney General Alan Wilson states, “Protecting our state’s vulnerable population is a mission shared by my office and law enforcement agencies throughout the state. Today I want to recognize the great work by the North Charleston Police Department and the Charleston County Coroner’s Office for their efforts in assisting in this investigation. I would also like to acknowledge the important role our state agencies play in assisting our vulnerable adult population.”  

Warrants allege that the Kellys failed to deliver the necessary care, goods, or services required to protect the residents’ health and safety, ultimately causing one vulnerable adult's death, and placing the others’ safety in jeopardy.

Cynthia and Reginald Kelly each face the following charges:

• One count of Abuse or Neglect of a Vulnerable Adult Resulting in Death {§ 43-35-85(F)};
• Two counts of Neglect of a Vulnerable Adult {43-35-0085 (C)}; and
• Two counts of kidnapping {16-03-0910}

This case will be prosecuted by the South Carolina Office of the Attorney General.

South Carolina Offenses and Penalties:

• Abuse or Neglect of a Vulnerable Adult Resulting in Death – Felony, punishable by imprisonment for not more than 30 years.
• Neglect of a Vulnerable Adult – Felony, punishable by up to five years in prison, and a fine of up to $5,000, or both.
• Kidnapping – Felony, punishable by up to 30 years in prison. 

In South Carolina, a CRCF is a facility that offers room and board and provides/coordinates a degree of personal care in excess of 24 consecutive hours for two or more persons, 18 years or older, not related to the owner/operator within the third degree of consanguinity. Under South Carolina law, a resident of a facility is considered a vulnerable adult by law; the alleged victims in this case met the statutory definition of a vulnerable adult throughout the period of the alleged misconduct.

Pursuant to federal regulations, VAMPF has authority over Medicaid provider fraud; abuse and neglect of Medicaid beneficiaries in any setting; and the abuse, neglect, and exploitation of individuals residing in assisted living facilities or nursing homes. 

Attorney General Wilson stressed that all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until they are proven guilty in a court of law.

The South Carolina Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, dba VAMPF, receives 75 percent of its funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under a grant award totaling $2,964,287 for federal fiscal year 2026. The remaining 25 percent, totaling $988,096 for FFY 2026, is funded by South Carolina.