In Anderson County, a mother enrolled her struggling teenage daughter in therapeutic horseback riding lessons at Stephen Family Equestrian to provide healing and stability. The owners of the equestrian facility, Carolyn and Johnathon Stephens, offered to enter into a guardianship arrangement to help the teenager, but did not allow the mother to visit her daughter, leading to a DSS investigation.

The South Carolina Department of Social Services (DSS) launched an investigation after the mother was blocked from seeing her daughter and ordered her to retrieve her daughter on Dec. 14. When the mother arrived, her daughter was missing, leading to a search involving deputies, K-9 units, and drones. The teenager was eventually located after nearly two days, and it was alleged that the Stephens had been harboring her and providing her with alcohol and marijuana.

The couple who owned the equestrian facility have been charged with unlawful neglect of a minor, and the daughter is now back home with her family. The mother believed the Stephens were trying to help her daughter, but the situation took a turn that no one expected, resulting in the adults responsible for her safety being behind bars.