NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. — A North Charleston couple who operated a community residential care facility has been arrested and charged with neglect resulting in death after a resident reportedly died from complications tied to inadequate medical care, according to an announcement from South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson on March 3, 2026. Investigators also discovered two additional vulnerable adults locked inside a room at the facility with no means of escape.
Cynthia Kelly, 58, and Reginald V. Kelly, 60, served as both operators and caregivers at Park Circle Home, a Community Residential Care Facility located at 1133 Bexley Street in North Charleston, according to the Attorney General's office. The investigation was launched after the Charleston County Coroner's Office flagged suspicious circumstances surrounding the death of a facility resident.
According to the Attorney General's announcement, the investigation determined that between June 12, 2024, and April 10, 2025, the Kellys' alleged failure to provide adequate care directly contributed to the resident's death. While the official announcement did not specify the precise medical cause, reporting from the Attorney General's office indicates the resident suffered fatal complications consistent with severe medical neglect.
When investigators from the Attorney General's Vulnerable Adults and Medicaid Provider Fraud unit (VAMPF) and the North Charleston Police Department executed a search warrant on the property on March 3, two vulnerable adults were found confined to a room inside the facility without the ability to leave the building, according to investigators. The discovery prompted an immediate multi-agency response, with the South Carolina Departments of Public Health, Social Services, and Health and Human Services, along with the Long-Term Care Ombudsman, all mobilizing to remove remaining residents from the facility.
"Protecting our state's vulnerable population is a mission shared by my office and law enforcement agencies throughout the state," Attorney General Wilson stated in the official announcement. "Today I want to recognize the great work by the North Charleston Police Department and the Charleston County Coroner's Office for their efforts in assisting in this investigation."
Each defendant now faces one felony count of abuse or neglect of a vulnerable adult resulting in death, two counts of neglect of a vulnerable adult, and two counts of kidnapping, according to the Attorney General's office. The most serious charges carry a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison under South Carolina law. The neglect charges each carry penalties of up to five years imprisonment and fines up to $5,000.
Under South Carolina law, a Community Residential Care Facility provides room, board, and personal care services for two or more unrelated adults on a continuous basis. All residents of such facilities are legally classified as vulnerable adults, which triggers enhanced criminal penalties when harm occurs. The Attorney General's office noted that warrants allege the Kellys failed to deliver necessary care, goods, or services required to protect residents' health and safety.
The case is being prosecuted by the South Carolina Office of the Attorney General. Wilson emphasized that all defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
CMS Inspection History
While Park Circle Home is classified as a Community Residential Care Facility and operates under different regulatory oversight than federally certified nursing homes, the broader Charleston-area long-term care landscape provides important context for families evaluating eldercare options in the region.
Federal CMS data shows that Kempton of Charleston, a nearby licensed nursing facility in Charleston, currently holds a 5-out-of-5-star overall rating from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, with a 4-star health inspection rating, 4-star staffing rating, and 5-star quality rating. The 23-bed for-profit facility has recorded only five total deficiencies across three inspections on record, according to CMS data.
The most recent CMS inspection at Kempton of Charleston, conducted on May 6, 2025, identified a deficiency related to infection prevention and control program implementation, rated at a "D" severity level — indicating isolated incidents with potential for minimal harm. A February 2024 inspection cited the facility for pharmaceutical services deficiencies and a food procurement and storage issue rated at the more serious "F" severity level, indicating widespread harm with no actual harm to residents, according to federal inspection records.
The contrast between well-rated, federally inspected nursing facilities and smaller residential care operations like Park Circle Home underscores a critical gap in oversight. Community Residential Care Facilities in South Carolina are regulated at the state level by the Department of Health and Environmental Control rather than through federal CMS surveys, meaning families may have less access to publicly available inspection data and quality metrics when evaluating these smaller care settings.
Ownership & Operations
Park Circle Home operated as a Community Residential Care Facility under the direct management of Cynthia and Reginald Kelly, who served as both the facility's operators and hands-on caregivers, according to the Attorney General's office. This dual role — where owners also function as primary care providers — is common among smaller residential care facilities but can create significant oversight gaps, as there may be no independent management structure to identify and correct care deficiencies.
The Attorney General's VAMPF unit, which led the investigation, derives its authority from federal regulations governing Medicaid provider fraud as well as the abuse, neglect, and exploitation of individuals residing in assisted living facilities or nursing homes. The unit receives approximately 75 percent of its funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, with the remaining 25 percent funded by the state of South Carolina, according to the Attorney General's office.
Resources for Families
Families with loved ones in South Carolina long-term care facilities who have concerns about the quality of care being provided should contact the following resources:
- South Carolina Long-Term Care Ombudsman: 1-800-868-9095 — Ombudsman advocates work to resolve complaints on behalf of residents in nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and community residential care facilities. - National Elder Care Locator Hotline: 1-800-677-1116 — A federally funded resource connecting callers with local services for older adults and their families. - Long-Term Care Ombudsman Resource Center: [ltcombudsman.org](https://ltcombudsman.org) — Provides information on residents' rights and how to file complaints.
If you suspect abuse or neglect of a vulnerable adult in South Carolina, you can also report concerns to the South Carolina Department of Social Services Adult Protective Services or contact local law enforcement. Federal regulations require that all care facilities maintain environments free from abuse, neglect, and exploitation, and residents or their families have the legal right to file complaints without fear of retaliation.
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