South Carolina mom charged, rescuers continue to search for 5-month-old baby

The South Carolina mother of a missing 5-month-old baby will be charged with unlawful conduct toward a child.

Rescue teams are searching for a 5-month-old baby who may have been thrown into a creek. Officials say Toney will be served with an arrest warrant by the end of the day.

Crews began searching for Toney’s child, Baby Grace, around 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday. Lt. Denis said K-9s did pick up a scent in one area of the creek Wednesday afternoon and divers are focusing on that area but crews have not found Baby Grace.

Toney, who also has gone b y the last name of Carlson, has an arrest record in South Carolina that dates back to 2008, according to records obtained Wednesday from the State Law Enforcement Division.

Fire rescue, beach patrol, boats, jet skis, and canoes are in creeks all the way down to Intracoastal waterway trying to locate the baby and investigate.

Sarah Lane Toney, 33, is already behind bars at the Horry County Detention Center for unrelated charges.

Denis said in the press release that “circumstances unfolded at a residence on Simms Drive, about 1/4 mile from that Shem Creek Circle location, in which the woman ultimately lost her baby in the rushing creek behind the residence”. It says she has either pleaded-to, or been found guilty-of several crimes; including possession of meth or cocaine, possession of marijuana or hash, driving under the influence, malicious injury to animals, criminal domestic violence, providing false information to police and several other charges.

“We see her maybe once and a while, walking up and down the street with her”, said a neighbor.

Lt. Denis said the mother is in custody while the investigation is going on, and she was there when police arrived.