11-year-old’s death in Carolina Forest gated community tied to trafficking case
An alleged child trafficking case that occurred in a gated community in the Carolina Forest area is tied to the death of an 11-year-old girl in Horry County last month, Solicitor Jimmy Richardson said.
In June, three women were charged with obstruction of justice in the death of 11-year-old A’Kyri Bell from Bay City, Texas, who died in the emergency room from multiple blunt-force injuries, The Sun News previously reported. One of the women was ultimately charged with murder. Now, she and an alleged accomplice have been charged with five counts each of trafficking minors.
Richardson said that through the investigation into Bell’s suspected murder, investigators “naturally discovered” further details that led them to suspect trafficking. He was unable to share what these details were.
Lakesha Burnett, 34; Alantis Thomas, 21; and Camihsa Mcgaskey, 31, were each charged initially with obstruction of justice in Bell’s case.
Mcgaskey was charged with Bell’s murder for allegedly inflicting the wounds that killed the girl.
Authorities said at the time that Bell was visiting from Texas and staying with someone who was believed to be her father’s cousin. It was later revealed that Mcgaskey was Bell’s caregiver.
Bell’s obituary states that she had transferred to go to school in a South Carolina school district.
The Sun News has reached out to the Horry County Schools inquiring as to Bell’s enrollment status.
Bell’s siblings not ready to speak
When Bell died, she left behind her parents, Tarsha Davis and Vernon Bell, as well as four sisters and four brothers, according to her obituary.
Messages to email addresses, phone numbers and social media accounts that appeared to belong to Bell’s parents did not yield responses on Thursday.
Two of Bell’s sisters, Artajha Powell and Chantal Gee, explained that they and their siblings had decided collectively not to speak about their sister’s case yet. Gee said in a message that it is a difficult situation for them to talk about, and they are still trying to wrap their heads around it, “even more so now.”
“Just to let you know my sister was loved unconditionally and all we have to say is just please don’t believe what they are saying we will tell our story when we are ready,” Gee wrote.
Messages to other family members and friends went unanswered on Thursday.
Bell’s funeral and repass were held in Pledger, Texas, on on July 5, a social media post by a family member states.
The investigation
The incident took place at a house on Sago Palm Drive, part of the Sago Plantation gated community, in the Carolina Forest area, according to police documents.
The call to emergency responders came from within the house, The Sun News previously reported, but it is unclear who made the call. None of the women charged in the case are listed as owners on any property on that street, according to Horry County land records.
The Sun News reporters were unable to access the community to speak with neighbors.
Mcgaskey is being charged alongside Margaret Roberson, 56, in the trafficking of five minors between Jan. 1 and June 11, 2025. A joint investigation between Horry County Police and the South Carolina Law Enforcement division determined that the minors were subjected to forced labor, including cleaning services, at various medical centers in the Conway area, arrest warrants claim.
Richardson said that authorities have determined the relationship between Bell, the other children, and the women involved, as well as why the children were with the women. However, he was unable to share this information. He said more details would be available “sooner rather than later.”
Richardson did explain that law enforcement were led into the investigation by questions as to why the minors were at the house, and how they had gotten there. When they discovered the alleged labor scheme, they thought, “Oh my goodness, this is labor trafficking, this is why they were here.”
Richardson specified that authorities only suspect labor trafficking in the case at this time.
“Everybody goes to sex trafficking,” he said. “It really has to do with work trafficking.”
