In the quiet hours before dawn on July 20, a 13-year-old foster child named Daryl Martinez Lowry was killed at a private dock in Modoc, South Carolina — allegedly held underwater by two other foster teenagers after a knife altercation. The home where this unfolded belonged to a county council chairman who has long championed foster care, and who was asleep inside when the violence occurred on his property. The tragedy asks a question that communities rarely want to face: when the state places vulnerable children together under one roof, who is truly watching over them?
13-year-old foster child drowned by two teens at S.C. councilman's home
A 13-year-old foster child, Daryl Martinez Lowry, was allegedly murdered by two teen foster residents through drowning after a physical altercation.
No child deserves this. We will get justice.
Mark
Why was a 13-year-old placed in a temporary foster home with two other teenagers already living there?
Mimi
The source doesn't explain the reasoning behind that specific placement decision. We know Lowry was awaiting another foster placement, but the state's reasoning for putting him in Hamby's home in the interim isn't detailed.
Mark
What do we know about the two teenagers who allegedly attacked him?
Mimi
One is identified as Landen Austin Moore, 17. The other is 16 and hasn't been publicly named because he's a juvenile. Both were foster children living in the same home. Beyond that—their histories, how long they'd been there, what led to the confrontation—the record doesn't say.
Mark
The council chairman advocates for foster care. Does that create a conflict here?
Mimi
It's worth noting, but authorities have found no evidence he was involved or even aware of what happened. He was asleep. Still, the fact that someone publicly championing the foster system had a tragedy occur in his home raises questions about oversight and vetting that the investigation may or may not address.
Mark
What about Lowry's disappearance a month before?
Mimi
He went missing in Chester in mid-June, and police found him the same day. The source explicitly states authorities haven't publicly linked that to his death. It could be coincidental, or it could point to deeper instability in his life—but we don't know.
Mark
How is the family responding?
Mimi
With grief and a demand for justice. His aunt created a fundraiser describing him as full of life and charisma. Another family member posted on Facebook vowing to keep his name alive and get justice. They're clear: no child should experience what happened to Daryl.
Mark
What happens next in the legal process?
Mimi
Moore will be prosecuted by the state attorney general. The investigation is still active. The 16-year-old's status—whether he'll be charged—hasn't been announced yet. This will likely move through the courts over months or years.
The Pulse
- A 13-year-old boy, already navigating the instability of the foster system, was allegedly stabbed and then drowned by two fellow foster residents in the early morning darkness.
- The attack unfolded on the private dock of a prominent local official — a foster care advocate — who was asleep inside and had no knowledge of what was happening yards away.
- The 17-year-old suspect, Landen Austin Moore, now faces a murder charge, while a 16-year-old co-suspect has been transferred to juvenile justice with formal charges still pending.
- South Carolina's Attorney General has taken over prosecution, and SLED's ongoing investigation signals that authorities are treating this as a case demanding the highest level of scrutiny.
- Daryl's family, grieving publicly, has vowed to pursue justice for a boy they describe as full of life, love, and a smile he never stopped wearing.
In the quiet hours before dawn on July 20, a 13-year-old foster child named Daryl Martinez Lowry was killed at a private dock in Modoc, South Carolina — allegedly held underwater by two other foster teenagers after a knife altercation. The home where this unfolded belonged to a county council chairman who has long championed foster care, and who was asleep inside when the violence occurred on his property. The tragedy asks a question that communities rarely want to face: when the state places vulnerable children together under one roof, who is truly watching over them?
In the early morning hours of July 20, before the sun rose over Modoc, South Carolina, a 13-year-old foster child named Daryl Martinez Lowry was attacked at a private boat dock. Investigators say two other teenagers — a 17-year-old and a 16-year-old — got into a physical altercation with him that left him with knife wounds. Then, authorities allege, they held him underwater until he stopped breathing. His body was later recovered from the lake.
Daryl had only recently arrived at the home, placed there temporarily by the state while his next foster placement was arranged. The house belonged to Bernie Hamby, chairman of the McCormick County Council and a long-standing public advocate for foster care. The two teenagers who attacked Daryl were also foster children living in Hamby's home. He was asleep inside when the confrontation occurred and has not been accused of any wrongdoing.
The 17-year-old, Landen Austin Moore, was charged with murder. The arrest warrant, filed by the McCormick County Sheriff's Office and investigated by SLED, alleges that Moore and the younger teen acted with malice aforethought, based on witness statements and gathered evidence. The 16-year-old was transferred to the Department of Juvenile Justice; formal charges have not yet been publicly announced. The case will be prosecuted by the South Carolina Attorney General's Office.
Daryl's life had already known disruption. Just weeks before his death, he had gone missing in his hometown of Chester, South Carolina, prompting a public appeal before he was found safe that same afternoon. His family remembers him as a boy full of charisma and warmth, one who always wore a smile. His aunt described him as "an amazing child full of life, love, and charisma," and a family member posted publicly: "We will get justice. You didn't deserve this. No child deserves this."
Sheriff Chad Cox called the killing an extraordinary tragedy for a rural community where violent crime is rare, while extending condolences to Daryl's family and thanking the agencies that assisted in the investigation. The case now leaves behind a painful question about the systems meant to protect children like Daryl — and whether those systems are truly equipped to do so.
On the morning of July 20, in the early hours before dawn, a 13-year-old boy named Daryl Martinez Lowry was attacked at a private boat dock in Modoc, South Carolina. According to investigators, two other teenagers—one 17, one 16—got into a physical fight with him, leaving him with knife wounds. Then, authorities say, they held him underwater in the lake until he stopped breathing. His body was later recovered from the water.
Lowry had only recently arrived at the home where this happened. He was a foster child, placed there temporarily while the state arranged his next placement. The house belonged to Bernie Hamby, the chairman of the McCormick County Council. The two teenagers who attacked him were also foster children living in Hamby's home. Hamby was asleep inside the house when the confrontation occurred at the dock on his property. Authorities have found no evidence that he was involved in or witnessed the attack.
The 17-year-old, Landen Austin Moore, was charged with murder. The arrest warrant, filed by the McCormick County Sheriff's Office and investigated by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, alleges that Moore and the 16-year-old "did unlawfully, intentionally, and with malice aforethought" kill Lowry by holding him underwater. The warrant states the charges are based on witness statements and evidence gathered during the investigation. The 16-year-old was transferred to the South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice; authorities have not yet publicly announced whether that teenager has been formally charged. Moore was booked into the McCormick County Detention Center.
Lowry's life before this moment had already been marked by instability. Just over a month earlier, in mid-June, he had gone missing in his hometown of Chester, South Carolina. The Chester Police Department issued a public appeal asking the community to check surveillance footage and report anything unusual. By that same afternoon, he was found safe. Authorities have not publicly connected that disappearance to the events that led to his death.
His family remembers him differently. In a fundraiser created after his death, his aunt Zyon Simpson described Daryl as "an amazing child full of life, love, and charisma." The family wrote that he loved his parents, family, and friends, and that he always wore a smile. On social media, another family member posted a vow: "I love you my sweet nephew. We will get justice. You didn't deserve this. No child deserves this."
McCormick County Sheriff Chad Cox called the killing an extraordinary tragedy for the rural community. In a statement posted to the sheriff's office's Facebook page, he expressed condolences to Lowry's family and friends, and thanked the multiple agencies that assisted in the investigation—the state law enforcement division, the Department of Natural Resources, emergency services, and others. "We are extremely grateful that we live/work in a community where violent crime is not the regular occurrence," Cox wrote. "But with that being said, no place is exempt from these types of incidents and we must remain diligent in our efforts to keep McCormick County a safe place to live, work and raise families."
Hamby, the council chairman in whose home this occurred, has long been a public advocate for foster care. Authorities have not accused him of any wrongdoing. The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division continues its investigation, and the case will be prosecuted by the South Carolina Attorney General's Office.
Notable Quotes
An amazing child full of life, love, and charisma who loved his parents, family, and friends, and always wore a smile.— Lowry's aunt, Zyon Simpson, in a fundraiser
We are extremely grateful that we live/work in a community where violent crime is not the regular occurrence. But with that being said, no place is exempt from these types of incidents.— McCormick County Sheriff Chad Cox
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