August 17, 2010 in Nation/World

Toddlers’ bodies found in car sunk in S.C. river

Mother’s reaction rouses suspicion

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Duley
(Full-size photo)

ORANGEBURG, S.C. – The bodies of two toddlers were pulled Monday from a car submerged in a South Carolina river, their mother arrested and authorities were investigating whether their deaths were accidental.

Two-year-old Devean C. Duley and 18-month-old Ja’van T. Duley were dead by the time divers got to the car in the North Edisto River near a rural boat landing, Orangeburg County Sheriff Larry Williams said. County Coroner Samuetta Marshall would not speculate on a cause of death until autopsies were completed today.

The boys’ mother, Shaquan Duley, 29, was being held Monday on a charge of leaving the scene of an accident. It was not immediately clear whether she had a lawyer.

Williams said the Highway Patrol was notified about 6:15 a.m. that a woman needed help getting her children out of the car. The children were still strapped in their child seats when divers found them about 45 minutes after being called to the scene.

“Early in the investigation, the state patrol felt there was not enough indicators to substantiate that there was an automobile accident,” Williams said. “We are looking into all possibilities as to what happened.”

The woman, who did not have a cell phone, had walked some distance down the country road by the boat landing and flagged down a passing motorist to call the Highway Patrol.

“She showed some emotion, but I can’t say she was overly distraught,” the sheriff said. “Through her statements, there are some things we think are not believable.”

Williams said authorities were attempting to contact the children’s father, who did not live with the family.

The sheriff said investigators are considering how a traffic accident could have happened at the ramp, about 20 yards upstream from a main road that crosses the slow-moving river.

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