SPECIAL SECTION D1-D6 USA TODAY: O.J. Simpson granted parole in Nevada C1 THE SUMTER ITEM FRIDAY, JULY 21, 2017 | D1 American Legion STATE TOURNAMENT at Riley Park P-15’s JULY 22 — 26 hosting state Lower State Upper State • HORRY POST 111 • FORT MILL POST 43 • CHAPIN/NEWBERRY • GAFFNEY POST 109 POSTS 193/24 • INMAN POST 45 tourney • FLORENCE POST 1 • ROCK HILL POST 34 FRIDAY, JULY 21, 2017 | Serving South Carolina since October 15, 1894 75 cents • SUMTER POST 15 Mother charged in baby’s death Coroner’s office reports 1-year-old child died from being in hot vehicle BY JIM HILLEY Latisha Nichole Rembert, 24, Sumter County six weeks to confirm the cause sponders attempted to revive [email protected] for homicide by child abuse Coroner’s Office of death. the child before police escorted and neglect. Sumter-Lee Re- has reported the The child was found unre- the ambulance and blocked The charges against the gional Detention Center’s web- preliminary sponsive Wednesday at Swan traffic en route to Palmetto mother of a 1-year-old who re- site showed that she was ini- cause of death of Lake-Iris Gardens after first Health Tuomey shortly after portedly died Wednesday from tially charged Wednesday with 1-year-old Mekhi responders were called to the 3:15 p.m. Wednesday. being left in a hot vehicle were legal custodian, unlawful ne- REMBERT Rembert was hy- scene. Police later learned that The entrance gate to the gar- upgraded Thursday evening. glect of a child or helpless per- perthermia be- the mother had left the child dens were shut and secured. According to Tonyia McGirt, son. cause of entrap- in the vehicle parked at a loca- Sumter Police Department public information officer with The police department at ment in a hot vehicle. Coroner tion in the county before driv- Sumter Police Department, a that time had not confirmed Robert M. Baker Jr. said a tox- ing to Swan Lake. warrant was served against the charges. icology report will take about Officers and other first re- SEE DEATH, PAGE A6 Maestro, please! PHOTO PROVIDED Sonja Sepulveda conducts the New England Symphony and singers from around the United States at Carnegie Hall in June. She’ll lead the choral music camp at Patriot Hall on July 31, working with Deborah Horton of Crestwood High and Herbert Johnson of Lakewood High, both award-winning choral directors. Award-winning conductors offering free music camp BY IVY MOORE School, and Deborah Horton, Canada and conducting them [email protected] choral director at Crestwood in concerts for the National High School, organizers of the Cathedral, Carnegie Hall, Two of Sumter public music camp, are each award- Kennedy Center, Lincoln Cen- schools’ most talented and ac- winning and critically ac- ter, the S.C. Music Educators complished choral teachers / claimed musicians and teach- Association, National Ameri- conductors have joined to host ers. Sepulveda, when heading can Choral Directors Associa- a daylong music camp on the choral department at tion and the Music Educators Monday, July 31, and they’ve Sumter High School, founded National Conference. She also engaged former Sumter High the South Carolina Choral sang with the famed Robert School choral director and na- Festival at Patriot Hall; it con- Shaw Festival Chorus for tionally acclaimed conductor tinues annually at different eight years and with the Carn- Sonja Sepulveda to lead the 10 venues throughout the state. egie Hall Chorus in 2000 and SUMTER ITEM FILE PHOTO a.m. to 3 p.m. camp at Patriot Her awards, honors and expe- 2002. She is in constant de- Herbert Johnson, far right, directs the Lakewood High School choir in Hall. The faculty for the day riences are too numerous to mand for her work with youth 2015. Johnson, with Deborah Horton, choral director at Crestwood has outstanding credentials. name; however, among them High School, and Sonja Sepulveda, professor and director of choral Herbert Johnson, music di- are touring her choirs activities at Salem College in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, will rector at Lakewood High through Europe, Mexico and SEE MUSIC, PAGE A6 present a free music camp to area high school choral students. Reactions mixed to Superintendent Baker’s retirement Sumter School District BY BRUCE MILLS Superintendent Frank [email protected] SUMTER SCHOOL DISTRICT Baker listens as board Read the board’s prepared statement at theitem.com. Chairman the Rev. Community members expressed mixed reac- Daryl McGhaney reads tions after the agreement between Sumter a prepared statement School District Board of Trustees and Superin- think he deserves the lack of respect they feel announcing the tendent Frank Baker that he retire now after he’s received from the public; others say he got board’s decision to ac- the district’s recent financial crisis. what he deserved. cept Baker’s resigna- On Tuesday night, at a special called meet- But everyone who was spoken to said the tion effective July 31. ing, the trustees and Baker mutually agreed board needs to also be held responsible for the that he will retire effective July 31, after financial difficulties the district finds itself in. RICK CARPENTER / THE SUMTER ITEM eight months of turmoil after the December Two Baker supporters, Pat Jones and Jackie release of the 2016 audit report, which re- Hughes, who generally attend every board vealed the district overspent by $6.2 million that year. Some supporters of Baker say they don’t SEE BAKER, PAGE A6 VISIT US ONLINE AT CONTACT US DEATHS, A6 and A7 WEATHER, A12 INSIDE Information: 774-1200 Dewayne Johnson David Allen York SUMMER’S HERE 4 SECTIONS, 32 PAGES the .com Advertising: 774-1246 Dorothy B. Hopkins Pearson York Sr. VOL. 122, NO. 199 Classifieds: 774-1200 Sunny to partly cloudy Berlese M. Botwe Katherine K. Stewart and hot. Tonight, Classifieds B4-B8 Delivery: 774-1258 Mekhi Rembert Perdy Chatman clear and warm. Comics C6 News and Sports: Elizabeth V. Carter Ethel J. Bracey 774-1226 Hester R. Pearson Willis Rodgers HIGH 97, LOW 76 Opinion A11 Curtis C. Kimbrell Jr. Joseph B. Burke III Television C4-C5 A2 | FRIDAY, JULY 21, 2017 THE SUMTER ITEM Call: (803) 774-1226 | E-mail: [email protected] Sumter parents charged 3rd man arrested in with neglect of baby break-ins FROM STAFF REPORTS a 3-month-old reported- “This is beyond un- FROM STAFF REPORTS ly was suffering from a imaginable,” Sumter Two Sumter parents were fractured femur and County Sheriff Anthony A third suspect sought by charged Thursday in a child-abuse tibia. When the child Dennis said. “To think law enforcement in several re- case described by the Sumter Coun- was moved to Palmetto that someone could cent home break-ins in Sumter ty sheriff as “beyond unimagina- Health Richland, the cause that much harm was arrested Thursday, ac- ble.” baby was also found to GRATE CAPLES to any child, much less cording to a Sumter County Phillip Andrew Grate, 22, and have broken ribs. their own, is horrible. Sheriff’s Office news release. Ashlin Caples, 17, both of 6255 Grate and Caples re- We will prosecute to the Jesse Colton Weaver, 27, of Brookland Drive, were charged with portedly had full custody of the fullest extent of the law people who 1202 N. Main St. was charged the unlawful neglect of a child after baby. commit this type of crime.” with safecracking; burglary, first de- gree; and receiv- ing stolen goods after warrants al- lege he broke into Senior program names new director three homes. WEAVER According to the release, a BY IVY MOORE cords of volunteers’ service, home in the 2300 block of Rac- [email protected] publish a newsletter — “Se- coon Road was broken into nior Scuttlebutt,” keep the July 5, and among items re- Rebecca Sears has been program current and find ported stolen from the home named director of Retired additional sites for volun- was an Xbox 360 with decals Senior Volunteer Program, teers. on it. Weaver reportedly of- or RSVP, housed at Sumter Sumter Senior Services fered the game console for sale Senior Services, 119 S. Sum- Executive Director Dana on social media a few days ter St. She begins work in Strock explained that while later, on July 9. The victim and her new position on Mon- RSVP operates fairly auton- a witness reportedly bought day. omously, “It falls under the back the console from Weaver. While working for SSS for Corporation for National A second home, in the 2700 three years, the first as an and Community Service, block of Antelope Drive, was re- intern, Sears, 34, often as- and some of our seniors are portedly broken into about July sisted recently retired RSVP RSVP volunteers. RSVP gets 18, and Weaver reportedly broke Director Janice Williams, in- a grant every three years, into a safe in the residence and cluding driving meal routes and we choose to renew it. stole valuables from it. for home-delivered meals for RSVP is a great program.” Frank Lamar Wilson Jr., 28, homebound seniors, assist- IVY MOORE / THE SUMTER ITEM According to its official of 611 E. Liberty St., Lot 20, ing with special events, writ- Rebecca Sears looks over files related to RSVP (Retired Senior Vol- website, RSVP is among the Sumter, and Fabyane Jamel ing letters to sponsors and unteer Program), of which she becomes director on Monday. She largest volunteer programs Hinant, 18, of the same ad- more. previously worked full time for Sumter Senior Services and for people 55 and older. It dress, were charged with sec- No stranger to volunteer worked as a volunteer in various capacities with RSVP, which is allows the volunteers to ond-degree burglary and safe- work, especially with the el- based at Sumter Senior Services.