NORTH CHARLESTON, SC – A disturbing case of alleged elder neglect has resulted in felony charges against a North Charleston man and his girlfriend after a 76-year-old dependent died in what authorities describe as conditions of shocking squalor.
Police say Kevin Carl Clark, 40, and Victoria Lynn Delaune, 33, were booked into the Charleston County Jail this week after investigators determined Clark’s mother, Dianne Clark, died in late July following months of severe neglect.
Emergency crews were dispatched to the family’s Otranto Road residence on July 29 after Dianne Clark was found unresponsive. Paramedics declared the elderly woman dead at the scene. But it was the circumstances inside the home that prompted alarm and set off a criminal investigation.
According to detectives, Dianne Clark was discovered in a room teeming with filth—her bed, clothing, and skin soiled with waste, insects swarming throughout, and medical needs clearly unmet. Officials said she was clad in an adult diaper so saturated and dirty that its condition indicated a pattern of chronic neglect.
Authorities later conducted a post-mortem exam at the Medical University of South Carolina, where medical examiners uncovered the stunning extent of Clark’s ordeal. She had suffered from advanced, untreated bed sores—one so severe that her lower spine had broken through her skin, exposing bone to contaminated surroundings and leading to a catastrophic infection.
The coroner’s office determined the cause of death was sepsis stemming from osteomyelitis, triggered when the infected bone and tissue in her back became overwhelmed by bacteria. Investigators emphasize that basic medical intervention might have prevented the painful chain of events that led to her death.
Further inspection of household records revealed another grim detail: Dianne Clark’s prescriptions had not been refilled in nearly three months, a fact that authorities say underscores the absence of appropriate care.
Detectives allege that Kevin Clark and Victoria Delaune, as the primary caregivers, failed to seek medical help or maintain safe, sanitary conditions for the vulnerable woman. Law enforcement personnel described the home as “highly unsanitary,” with copious evidence of neglect and infestation.
Family members close to the situation were reportedly shaken by the news, while neighbors expressed disbelief that such suffering could go unnoticed in their community.
Both suspects are charged with felony abuse or neglect of a vulnerable adult resulting in death. Neither was given bond, and both remain in custody as they await their first court appearance set for December 19.
Officials urge the public to remain vigilant and to report suspected cases of elder abuse, emphasizing that timely intervention can make the difference between life and death. The investigation remains active, with law enforcement continuing to gather information in the case.