MONCKS CORNER, S.C. () – Berkeley County Sheriff, Duane Lewis, has declared the arrest of a woman following a jet ski incident involving a 12-year-old found in marshland.

Anne Lachell Sellers, aged 53, residing on Farrell Street in Moncks Corner, was taken into custody on Tuesday. She faces charges of Unlawful Conduct Towards a Minor.

At around 12:30 p.m., the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office Marine Patrol, accompanied by the BCSO Dive Team, South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, US Coast Guard, Naval Weapons Station Fire Department, and Pimlico Fire Department, responded to a water rescue. The operation involved a stranded jet ski operator and her juvenile granddaughter. Sellers had dialed 911 to report she was stranded on her jet ski, informing them that her granddaughter had attempted to swim back to shore for assistance.

Multiple marine vessels and drones were deployed to search for the juvenile. The juvenile was located in marshland approximately 600 yards from the boat ramp. She suffered cuts and abrasions to her arms and legs and was transported to an area hospital for treatment and further evaluation.

Preliminary investigations revealed Sellers was originally untruthful during the investigation. Deputies later learned that Sellers and the juvenile took separate jet skis and one of them was not working correctly. When both of them became stranded, Sellers instructed the juvenile to swim back to the boat landing for help. Sellers did so despite hazardous conditions such as strong currents, high winds, and known wildlife threats in the area.

“Careless decisions that endanger the lives of juveniles will not be tolerated, and we will prosecute to the fullest extent of the law,” Sheriff Duane Lewis stated. “Not only was this child’s life put at risk, but so were the lives of our first responders who entered dangerous conditions to conduct the rescue. These actions are unacceptable and criminally negligent.”

The South Carolina Department of Social Services was notified of the incident.

Sellers was transported to the Hill-Finklea Detention Center to await a bond hearing.