Sumter woman accused of disconnecting medical ventilator, killing minor

Agents of the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division arrested a Sumter County woman Thursday who was accused in the death of her 13-year-old minor in June 2020.
Sharma Ladile Harris, 37, was charged with voluntary manslaughter after she was accused of disconnecting a medical ventilator that was deemed necessary to assist with the child’s breathing functions, said Tommy Crosby, public information officer for SLED.

A warrant claimed that Harris disconnected the child’s ventilator for an approximate 10-hour timeframe on June 13, 2020.

By South Carolina law, SLED is directed to investigate and gather all information on a child fatality upon receipt of a report of a child death from the county coroner or medical examiner, Crosby said.
Harris was booked at the Sumter-Lee Regional Detention Center, and the case will be prosecuted by the Sumter County Third Circuit Solicitor’s Office.

According to Adrienne Sarvis, public information officer for the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office, Harris remains booked at the Detention Center as of Friday with a surety bond of $75,000.