Editor’s note: This article has been updated to clarify that the situation is an ongoing investigation.
CONWAY, S.C. (WBTW) — The Department of Social Services is investigating after it received a report that the child care center’s operator neglected a child.
Between August 2021 and January 2022, Rodney Cox, 58, who is the operator of Conway Christian Academy at 1209 Main Street, is accused of bending a child over his knee and spanking her repeatedly. He is accused of sexually assaulting a child in another incidence.
“DSS, through its Child Care Licensing office, is currently investigating the Conway Christian Academy and is unable to provide any information on the center due to the ongoing investigation,” DSS said in a statement. “Generally speaking, a citation that was resolved on-site means it was corrected while the agency’s Child Care Licensing staff were on-site at the provider making an inspection visit. A pending citation is currently under investigation and has not been resolved.”
Police began the investigation after a child reported a sexual assault, according to a police report.
Cox is being charged with unlawful neglect of a child and was released from the J. Reuben Long Detention Center on a $10,000 bond.
Conway Christian Academy has had 17 violations since October, according to online documents from DSS.
News13 has reached out to Johnny Gardner, Cox’s attorney according to public records, for comment.
