Manning boy, 5, killed; Richland father arrested was arrested Jan. 25 Gamble has not been Coroner: Child died from in Manning by the set. injuries to head and body State Law Enforce- Richland County ment Division Fugi- Coroner Gary Watts BY SHARRON HALEY tive Team and trans- identified the boy as SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2019 $1.75 Special to The Sumter Item ported to the Alvin Jaiden Hammond. S. Glenn Detention “The autopsy re- GAMBLE HAMMOND SERVING SOUTH CAROLINA SINCE OCTOBER 15, 1894 MANNING — A 5-year-old boy Center, according to vealed the child had from Manning has been killed, and Richland County significant injuries on his Richland County father has Sheriff Leon Lott. He faces a his head and body that resulted in been arrested in connection to the charge of homicide by child his death,” Watts said. boy’s death. abuse that carries a sentence Michael Cornelius Gamble, 37, from 20 years to life. A bond for SEE GAMBLE, PAGE A12 2 SECTIONS, 28 PAGES | VOL. 124, NO. 76 NATION Everyone’s best friend Parks rush to repair damage after shutdown A7 NATION Brain tingles? What is ASMR, anyway? A7 DEATHS, B5 PHOTOS BY MICAH GREEN / THE SUMTER ITEM Alfreda Barrows Bobbie E. Goff Mason DuBose reads “If You Give A Dog A Donut” to Bantam on Friday at Bates Middle School. The therapy dog helps make Kendall G. Gamble Carrie Mae S. Prioleau DuBose and other Bates students with autism feel more comfortable about reading out loud. Joe Arthur James Nancy G. Rhyne Hartswell Doughty Donna G. Thomas Harry L. Herrington Mary S. Robinson New therapy puppy at Bates Middle School helps Richrd Pearson Jr. Frank Caldwell Matthew R. Rider Sr. Matthew J. Little Courtney J. Hubbard students with autism come out of their shells BY KAYLA ROBINS WEATHER, A14 [email protected] RAINY AND STORMY Bates Middle School, like any other public school, keeps safety a top prior- Rainy today with storms possible; ity by requiring all staff members to wear ID badges — whether that staff tonight, partly cloudy and warmer. member has two or four legs makes no difference. Kelly Snell has been bringing Bantam, a 12-week-old Miniature HIGH 57, LOW 42 Schnauzer, to her special education classroom every day for the past couple weeks. Bantam may still be a therapy dog-in-training, but he has al- INSIDE CONTACT US ready made a marked impact on her 11 Classifieds B10 Info: 774-1200 students, many of whom are on the au- Comics B11 Advertising: 774-1237 tism spectrum. “They’re getting off their Chrome- Opinion A11 Classifieds: 774-1200 books, and they’re more interested in Bantam Sports B1 Delivery: 774-1258 has Television B9 training the dog than being on their com- News and Sports: puters,” Snell said. made Outdoors B6 774-1226 Her students, who are in all mid- friends Reflections B7 dle school grades, had recently with stu- been getting visits on Mondays dents in from Sparky, a therapy dog with other VISIT US ONLINE AT the .com Paws for Friendship, a local classes, branch of the national non- too, such profit, and his handler, Dennie as Samuel Sides. They didn’t ever want Laws in Lisa Sand- SEE PUPPY, PAGE A12 ers’ class. Chestnut Oaks Middle celebrates no longer being priority school needing improvement BY DANNY KELLY cause of low performance. Chestnut Oaks needed. A lot of [email protected] “It was an amazing celebra- student instructors were put in tion today,” Chestnut Oaks Prin- place to make it go more Thursday was a great day at cipal Dr. Maggie Wright said. smoothly.” Chestnut Oaks Middle School. The celebration included sing- Priority Schools are those that Students, teachers and staff of ing, speakers, snacks and more perform at or below the 10th the middle school celebrated no in the school’s gymnasium. percentile among all schools in longer being on priority status “When the state tells you you the state, according to the state MICAH GREEN / THE SUMTER ITEM with the state Department of got to make improvements in DOE. They are identified every Chestnut Oaks Middle School celebrated being removed from the Education, a designation under these areas, you must make im- three years in alignment with Priority Schools List with a party for its students, teachers and the Every Student Succeeds Act provements,” Wright said. “A the state’s interim target cycles staff in its gymnasium on Thursday afternoon. The celebration in- that identifies schools in need of team of people came in and cluded keynote speakers, musical performances and snacks. a criteria of improvement be- thought of some priorities SEE CHESTNUT OAKS, PAGE A12 Give Love with STARTING AT Carolina Pride $39.95 this Valentine’s Day If you didn’t buy fr om us, you ’re paying too much! A2 | SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2019 THE SUMTER ITEM Call: (803) 774-1226 | E-mail: [email protected] PHOTO PROVIDED Tuomey staff wears Pigtails for Peyton on Wear Red Day BY TRACI QUINN Peyton Przybyla — daughter of sur- “Pigtails for Peyton” hashtag and fund raiser, said it is important to Prisma Health Tuomey Hospital geon Adam Przybyla, M.D., and pedi- prayer chain social media campaign, support heart education and research atrician Whitney Moses Przybyla, Tuomey amended its annual Wear — and each other. At 10 a.m. on Friday, the Prisma M.D., granddaughter of surgeon Red Day for Heart Health campus “Just like everyone in our Tuomey Health Tuomey Hospital lobby was Henry Moses, M.D., and niece of or- photo to show its support of the fami- family, this little one is precious to packed. thopedic surgeon Ryan Zitzke, M.D. ly and the many team members im- us,” Logan-Owens said. “You can feel Team members stood or kneeled, — is in a Charleston hospital under- pacted by their journey. the unity of the prayers that are holding hands, touching shoulders, going treatment for a significant Prisma Health Tuomey Hospital being lifted up for little Peyton, her sending words of strength to a be- health issue. Chief Operating Officer Michelle Lo- family and her care team. We know loved Tuomey family as the family, in Because of an overwhelming re- gan-Owens, who is also the communi- that God has given his angels charge turn, stood together at the bedside of sponse from the community and de- ty chairwoman for the American over her, and, therefore, she is in the their loved one a hundred miles away. partments throughout Tuomey to a Heart Association’s 2019 Heart Walk best of hands ... His.” Summerton man crashes, allegedly Morris College’s Science in steals vehicle from first responders Action Week begins Tuesday FROM STAFF REPORTS the 10 a.m. assembly pro- BY SHARRON HALEY personnel arriving on the scene found a ve- Morris College will be gram in the Neal-Jones Special to The Sumter Item hicle that had wrecked into a tree and holding several events Auditorium. White ob- caught on fire. The driver of the vehicle worth noting in February. tained his Doctorate in MANNING — A 28-year-old Summerton was then located some distance away from The Division of Natural Material Science and En- man was arrested on multiple charges the scene of the wreck. As fire personnel Sciences and Mathematics gineering from Norfolk early Friday after crashing his were aiding the driver of the wrecked vehi- will celebrate its annual State University in May car into a tree and then fleeing cle, the man reportedly stole a Clarendon Science in Action Week 2018. He is employed as the scene in a vehicle he alleg- County Fire Department pickup and fled beginning Tuesday eve- materials and process en- edly stole from the Clarendon the scene. ning with a Cyber Securi- gineer by the Northrop County Fire Department that Deputies with the Clarendon County ty Fair highlighting “In- Grumman Corp. of Balti- had arrived on the scene to Sheriff’s Office pursued the stolen truck novations in Cyber Secu- more, Maryland. render him aid. through the Taw Caw area and into Man- rity” presented by Col. On Friday, STEM stu- Jawwaad Tasawwur Robin- ROBINSON ning. Deputies, along with help from the Williams Oden, Deputy dents will wrap up the son was arrested on charges of Manning Police Department, were able to Chief of Staff for Cyber week with presentations grand larceny, possession of a stop the vehicle. Robinson was treated for Security of the S.C. Mili- of their favorite black sci- Schedule I Controlled Substance (MDMA) injuries sustained in the wreck on Wash tary Department of the entists and mathemati- and failure to stop for a blue light. Davis Road and then arrested. He was Office of the Adjutant cians. At 3:37 a.m. Friday, Clarendon County transported to Clarendon County Detention General, and William Lit- The Sumter community emergency personnel were dispatched to Center, where he awaits a bond hearing. tleton of the SPAWAR, is invited to participate in 8043 Wash Davis Road in reference to a ve- Robinson could face additional charges Center Atlantic, North the week's activities free hicle accident with fire. According to the from the South Carolina Highway Patrol Charleston. of charge. Clarendon County Fire Department, fire for the incident on Wash Davis Road. On Wednesday, a multi- For additional informa- tude of presenters will tion, contact Dr. Radman visit classrooms includ- Ali, Rhonda Pearson or An- ing: nurse Tamesha McK- gela Ruth at (803) 934-3284, Crime night, CPRMC, Hartsville; extensions 3266 or 3386. Drs. Kareem and Jachelle On Tuesday, Feb. 12, the 22-YEAR-OLD FACES tive for THC/marijuana on Jan.