A spring break trip to the coast turned into a nightmare when 14-year-old Salisbury girl Nevaeh Neely was pulled from a Myrtle Beach hotel pool on April 2 and later died at Grand Strand Regional Medical Center. Myrtle Beach police arrested 32-year-old Brittany Nicole Neely and charged her with four counts of unlawful conduct toward a child.
According to WPDE, officers responded to the Sandbar Hotel on South Ocean Boulevard on April 2 after a drowning call. First responders took Nevaeh to Grand Strand Regional, where she was pronounced dead. The station reports police later arrested a 32-year-old woman in connection with the teen’s death.
WMBF reported that arrest warrants state the teen was nonverbal and had autism, and that she and her siblings were left unattended at the pool. The warrants say Nevaeh was submerged for roughly 45 minutes before she was pulled from the water. They list the other children as ages 10, 7 and 12, and allege that Brittany Neely was inside a room on the second floor while the children were at the pool.
Investigators' account
Police say the case is still very much active as they work to understand how the children came to be left alone at the pool area. Officials have not publicly clarified the relationship between the woman who was arrested and the children involved. Regional coverage of the arrest and coroner notes has been carried by outlets including WSOC.
Charges and legal exposure
The four counts filed against Brittany Neely are unlawful-conduct-toward-a-child charges under South Carolina law. Under S.C. Code §63-5-70, it is a felony to place a child at unreasonable risk of harm. A local defense attorney told WMBF that the statute is broad and that each count could carry a sentence of up to 10 years if she is convicted.
Booking and bond
Myrtle Beach police booked Neely into the J. Reuben Long Detention Center. Local reports say she was released on bond over the weekend. WPDE notes that charging documents remain subject to review as investigators continue their work.
Drowning risk for children with autism
Research indicates that children on the autism spectrum face an elevated risk around open water, frequently because fatal incidents are linked to wandering or elopement and often occur near a child’s home. A 2017 study in Injury Epidemiology examined fatal drownings among children with autism. A broader 2016-2020 emergency-department analysis published on PubMed Central found that drowning-related visits in children with ASD were more likely to involve pools and to require hospital admission.
What’s next
Myrtle Beach police say their investigation is ongoing and have asked anyone with information to contact the department, according to regional reports from WSOC. The case underscores the safety challenges caregivers face when traveling with children who cannot swim.
