CONWAY, SC — Jury selection began Monday in Horry County court as 32-year-old Camisha McGaskey stands trial for the murder of 11-year-old A’Kyri Bell, a child in her care who died from severe blunt force trauma last summer.
McGaskey faces charges of murder and obstruction of justice. Authorities allege she fatally beat Bell inside a Sago Palm Drive home in Carolina Forest, then attempted to conceal the crime by destroying evidence and lying to investigators. Police arrest warrants reveal officers later recovered mops, towels, and blood-stained bedding hidden in trash bags inside the residence.
Emergency medical personnel discovered Bell unresponsive at the home on June 11, 2025, after a 9-1-1 call requested assistance for an unconscious child. She was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at a local hospital. The Horry County Coroner’s Office subsequently ruled her death a homicide caused by multiple blunt force injuries to her head and body.
The current trial represents only the first phase of a widespread prosecution. Following Bell’s death, state agents with the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) and federal Homeland Security investigators unraveled what prosecutors describe as a severe forced-labor and abuse ring operated out of the residence.
In addition to murder, McGaskey faces five counts of trafficking in persons involving minors, criminal conspiracy, and unlawful conduct toward a child. Her mother, 57-year-old Margaret Roberson- described by prosecutors during prior bond hearings as the “matriarch” of the household along with three other adults, also face trafficking and child abuse charges linked to the multi-child exploitation ring.
Judges severed the charges for trial, meaning the current proceedings in Conway will strictly handle the murder and obstruction of justice counts against McGaskey. The human trafficking and conspiracy charges against all defendants will be prosecuted separately at a later date.
Opening statements are scheduled for Tuesday morning before 15th Circuit Solicitor Jimmy Richardson’s prosecution team. If convicted of murder, McGaskey faces 30 years to life in state prison.
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