Mom, boyfriend charged in alleged child abuse case

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The Clarendon County Sheriff's Office filed charges against a man left alone with a 2-year-old girl on Tuesday who was later treated at Clarendon Memorial Hospital in Manning. Andrew Billups is charged with attempted murder. The girl is still recovering at a Columbia hospital. Courtney Chamberlin, the child's mother, has been charged with accessory after the fact to attempted murder. Maj. Kipp Coker said Thursday evening that deputies will also seek a warrant for unlawful neglect of a child. Billups, Chamberlin's boyfriend, told Clarendon County Sheriff’s deputies that he found the child unresponsive and in a “seizure-like” state about 7:30 p.m. Tuesday. Deputies responded to Clarendon Memorial Hospital about two hours later, and reported multiple apparent injuries to the child, including bruises and scratches. Doctors confirmed internal injuries. The child was airlifted to Palmetto Richland’s Pediatric Intensive Care Unit. Billups was initially arrested Tuesday night on an outstanding family court warrant. No bond information was available late Thursday evening. UPDATE (4:58 p.m. April 28, 2014): Mom posts bond, boyfriend in custody