31-Year-Old Mother Found Dead in a Shopping Center Parking Lot – Details

"We would ask for the person who has done this to come forward and be brave about it," a grieving aunt said.

A still, predawn hour in Spartanburg County in South Carolina was shattered by a grim discovery in a shopping center parking lot, launching a multi-agency investigation and leaving a young family grappling with sudden loss.

Deputies arriving at the scene found a woman dead under circumstances authorities say point to a violent hit-and-run, one that investigators believe unfolded quietly and ended just as abruptly, with the driver vanishing into the darkness.

A Quiet Parking Lot and a Sudden Death

According to the Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office, deputies were called at about 3:20 a.m. Wednesday, January 7, 2026, about a body found in a shopping center parking lot.

The shopping center was located at 369 Whitney Road in Spartanburg County, South Carolina. The Spartanburg County Coroner's Office later said the woman was pronounced dead at 3:35 a.m.

The victim was identified as Dané Josephine Waddell, a 31-year-old Spartanburg resident and new mother, according to the Spartanburg County Coroner's Office.

What Investigators Believe Happened

Authorities said evidence from the scene indicates Waddell was struck, run over, and dragged by a vehicle whose driver fled without stopping. "We have evidence that she was run over and dragged by a vehicle," Spartanburg County Coroner Rusty Clevenger said in an email.

Deputies said the incident is being investigated as a hit-and-run. The sheriff's office is working in conjunction with the South Carolina Highway Patrol to determine the circumstances surrounding Waddell's death, sheriff's office spokesman Graham McClellan said.

Security footage from the area helped investigators identify the type of vehicle involved, according to FOX Carolina, but officials have not yet located it. As of January 8, 2026, no arrests had been made, but the sheriff's office is following up on leads, McLellan said.

Family Urges Driver to Come Forward

As investigators continue to track leads, Waddell's family is pleading for the driver to voluntarily surrender and "understand the impact that they have already caused," adding that she wants the driver to consider the family's pain

"How would they feel about the impact of this happening to their family? What would they feel like? Would they want (the driver) to come forward for peace of mind for the family and justice for the family?"

Anyone with information is urged to contact Sheriff's Investigator Nick Federico at 864-503-4591 or at nfederico@spartanburgcounty.org.

Who Waddell Was

Family members described Waddell as someone with a natural warmth and an infectious presence. Waddell's aunt said her deceased niece had a magnetism that drew people in from a young age. "When she would do that, they would come to her," she said, recalling how Waddell smiled and waved at strangers even as a baby.

Waddell moved to Spartanburg at 16 to pursue a better education, enrolling in the Dorman High School attendance zone. She graduated from Dorman High School in 2012. "She had a style of her own," the grieving aunt said. "She went to cosmetology school to be a hair stylist and she was great with makeup."

She also loved cooking, a talent she learned from her mother, a chef, and her grandmother, and was known for preparing meals for loved ones. She enjoyed old-school R&B and had a strong sense of independence.

Her obituary, published by Callaham-Hicks & Leeside Funeral Home, highlighted her deep affection for animals, noting that Dané often took in pets without her mother's permission or even her knowledge.

On one occasion, she brought home a frog and quietly cared for it for months before her mother, Bern'Naddette Waddell, discovered it. She was also known for rescuing stray cats and bringing them to her grandmother, Beverly Waddell, at her home, a reflection of the compassion and nurturing spirit that defined her life.

According to her family, Waddell had recently welcomed a baby girl in October 2025, making her death especially devastating. Her obituary, published by Leeside Funeral Home, described her as compassionate, nurturing, and deeply devoted to her daughter, Gi'Anni. "She was hopeful and excited about their future together," the obituary stated.

The obituary described Dané as compassionate and consistently eager to uplift and help those around her. She spent much of her childhood with her grandmother, Beverly, and the two were affectionately known as "two peas in a pod."

Authorities say they are continuing to review evidence and follow leads as they search for the driver involved. Meanwhile, Waddell's family is navigating waves of grief, holding on to memories of a woman they say lived with love, creativity, and generosity. No further details have been released.

As investigators continue to pursue leads, Waddell's family said they are clinging to memories of her kindness, creativity, and devotion to her young daughter while waiting for answers.

Authorities have urged anyone with information to come forward, stressing that even the smallest detail could help bring clarity and accountability. For those who loved Waddell, justice now remains the final hope in honoring a life they say was defined by compassion and love.