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Resident alleges wrongful child removal, asks North Charleston officials to investigate
Summary
At a council meeting, Antonia Austin alleged city-associated staff and social workers removed her daughter under false pretenses and said she has recordings and affidavits; Mayor Burgess asked Associate Chief Cordray and city legal staff to review the matter and follow up.
Antonia Austin told the North Charleston City Council she has been legally separated from her daughter since Jan. 3, 2025, and alleged that city and state personnel improperly removed the child.
Austin, who said she lives at 1083 Yorktown Drive, named a local family coordinator she identified as Dr. Kathy Love, a Department of Mental Health caseworker Caitlin McCarthy, the cityhomeless coordinator Brandon Letheal and two officers (identified in her remarks as Officer Ali and Officer McClint) as present during the January incident. She told the council the family member she provided for her daughterand the directions given that day led to her daughter being placed into protective custody and that she has since been listed in a state database as an abusive or neglectful parent.
"I never had a court order to have a mental health evaluation nor did I give reason to have need 1 be done," Austin said, and told the council she has submitted "affidavits, videos, audios, recording, text, emails" to the court and to her attorneys. She asked the council and city staff to examine the records and respond.
Mayor Reginald L. Burgess told Austin he would have Associate Chief Cordray and the city's legal staff review the information provided by Austin from the city side. "We'll get Associate Chief, and then we'll get our legal staff to take a look at from the city side," Burgess said. Austin thanked council for hearing her and said she appreciated the follow-up.
Council members did not take immediate formal action beyond directing staff to gather information and the mayor's pledge to have city staff and legal counsel review Austin's materials. Austin said she had also presented the evidence to her attorneys and guardian ad litem.
