6th person charged in trafficking of children in Carolina Forest. One girl died

A sixth person has been charged in the case of a Carolina Forest girl who was killed as part of a human trafficking case.

Alexandria Iman Thomas, 20, has been charged with placing a child in her charge at risk. Between Jan 1, 20.25, and June 11, 2025, Thomas allegedly allowed the abuse of 11-year-old A’Kyri Bell, who was allegedly physically harmed and ultimately killed by her caregiver, Camisha McGaskey.

McGaskey allegedly used objects and her hands and feet to abuse Bell, and Thomas was present and aware for multiple instances of the abuse but failed to take any action, arrest warrants state.

Bell and several other children who were allegedly trafficked for labor by McGaskey and accomplices were staying together at a house on Sago Palm Drive in the Sago Plantation gated community of Carolina Forest in the Myrtle Beach area.

Bell and the other children, who are believed to be related to her, were dropped off at the house by Bell’s father, Vernon Bell, police said.

Bell died from wounds to her head in June, after being taken to the hospital by emergency personnel who responded to a call from inside the house about an unresponsive patient. The investigation into Bell’s death led to the discovery that the children in the house were being trafficked for labor, in which McGaskey and Margaret Roberson allegedly had children provide cleaning services at various medical centers in the Conway area.

In the case, Lakesha Burnett and Alantis Thomas face two counts, Darnell Dearmus faces one count, and Roberson and McGaskey face three counts of unlawful conduct toward a child. McGaskey was previously charged with murder in the case for allegedly inflicting the wounds that killed Bell, and has remained at J. Reuben Long Detention Center. Roberson was also already in custody at the detention center for trafficking in persons charges, The Sun News previously reported.

Burnett and Thomas were previously charged with obstruction of justice in the case, and were on home detention at the time of these charges.

This story was originally published August 26, 2025 at 2:09 PM.