In a case that has stunned the Grand Strand, testimony from a March 2026 court hearing tied to the June 2025 death of an 11-year-old girl has pulled back the curtain on what prosecutors say was a human-trafficking operation in Horry County, South Carolina. Authorities say video and witness testimony show repeated abuse of children inside a Carolina Forest home, that minors were forced to do unpaid cleaning work at medical clinics, and that prosecutors detailed a punishment the adults allegedly called the “upper room treatment,” which meant taking a child into an upstairs bathroom and essentially waterboarding them.
Investigation unfolds after child's death
According to WMBF, 15th Circuit Solicitor Jimmy Richardson confirmed that the girl, identified in court filings as A'Kyri Bell, was one of five minors prosecutors say were trafficked by people living in the Carolina Forest residence. The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, Horry County Police and federal partners say their investigation turned up physical evidence and witness accounts pointing to repeated mistreatment and forced labor involving the children.
'Upper room treatment' and video evidence
Prosecutors told jurors the alleged abuse included the so-called “upper room treatment,” where children were taken into an upstairs bathroom and “essentially water boarded,” and that investigators obtained video of some of the incidents, according to WKRC. Court documents state that investigators also recovered items such as mops, towels and bedding placed in trash bags that tested presumptively positive for blood.
Who's charged
Multiple adults connected to the home have been charged so far. Per a WYFF summary of state filings, Camisha McGaskey, the child's guardian, was first arrested on obstruction charges and later had those charges upgraded to murder. Margaret Roberson was described in warrants as the “matriarch” of the house and was charged alongside McGaskey with trafficking in persons and criminal conspiracy.
Defense pushes back in court
Roberson's attorney argued in court that the evidence does not prove forced labor and that witness statements conflict with each other, according to WKRC. A victim also testified that Roberson knew the children were being abused and “thought it was funny,” prosecutors said.
What officials say and next steps
Authorities say the trafficking allegations only surfaced after the homicide investigation into Bell’s death prompted a deeper look inside the household and that the case remains active as prosecutors prepare for additional hearings, per WMBF. Capt. Sherri Smith with the Horry County Sheriff's Office, who leads the Coastal Human Trafficking Task Force, urged the public to report any signs of exploitation and pointed to resources such as the National Human Trafficking Hotline (text 233733).
