Foster Child, 13, Found Dead at McCormick County Council Chairman's Dock After Early-Morning Altercation

A tranquil summer morning on Clarks Hill Lake turned into a harrowing nightmare when a young foster child was found dead, hiding a horrifying secret.

The peaceful waterfront community of Modoc Shores usually brings quiet weekends for local residents. Instead, yellow police tape encircled a prominent lawmaker's property after a young boy's life ended in sudden, unexplained violence.

Investigators rushed to the scene to piece together what happened at the dock during the early morning hours. What they uncovered went far beyond a tragic accident, leading straight back into the house itself.

Tragedy Strikes the Property of McCormick County's Council Chairman

On July 20, 2026, emergency responders rushed to the Modoc, South Carolina, residence of Bernie Hamby. Hamby is a longtime public servant who serves as the McCormick County Council Chairman.

The waterfront property sits right on Clarks Hill Lake, which is also known as J. Strom Thurmond Lake. Authorities later confirmed that the lawmaker was asleep inside the residence when the killing occurred.

For years, locals believed Hamby was McCormick County's only licensed foster parent. He previously shared that watching his parents donate to children's homes inspired him to open his own doors to youth in need.

Law enforcement officers quickly clarified that Hamby is not suspected of any criminal wrongdoing. Still, the death of 13-year-old Daryl Martinez Lowry has sparked urgent questions about safety and oversight.

A Missing Child Case Weeks Before the Fatal Placement

Young Daryl had arrived at the lakefront residence as a temporary foster placement while waiting for a more permanent arrangement.

According to his official obituary, Daryl was born on November 18, 2012, in Charlotte, North Carolina. He was remembered as a charismatic child who deeply loved his parents, Laterrica Lowry and Antonio Crosby.

Just weeks before arriving in Modoc, the young boy was at the center of a local law enforcement search.

On June 12, the Chester Police Department asked the public for help finding Daryl after he went missing the previous evening. He was located safely later that day, though officials have not said if that incident triggered his foster placement.

Standing at 5'2" and weighing 125 pounds, the young boy was suddenly placed in a whole new living environment. The tragic chain of events shows how much pressure local foster systems face when placements are scarce.

Warrant Details Reveal Two Fellow Foster Boys Face Murder Charges

As state agents examined the scene, the investigation uncovered a deeply disturbing betrayal. Daryl had not drowned by accident or been attacked by a wandering stranger.

Instead, authorities discovered that Daryl was ambushed by two other foster children living under the exact same roof.

A physical fight broke out at the boat dock on Beauregard Drive during the early morning hours, as detailed by NewsNation. The fight turned deadly as the older boys turned on the youngest child in the home.

The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division charged 17-year-old Landen Austin Moore with murder and arrested an unnamed 16-year-old suspect.

According to the official warrant affidavit, Moore stands 6'2" tall and weighs 180 pounds, vastly overpowering the victim.

Agents stated Daryl suffered severe knife lacerations before the two suspects "unlawfully, intentionally, and with malice aforethought" held him underwater until he died.

The Lowry Family Demands Answers and Legal Accountability

Moore was booked into the McCormick County Detention Center, while the 16-year-old was transported to a South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice facility. The South Carolina Attorney General's Office will handle the prosecution as the state investigation continues.

Daryl's grieving family has retained attorney Tyler Bailey to conduct an independent investigation into state social services. "When the state removes a child from his family and takes him into its care, it accepts a duty to keep that child alive," Bailey stated.

Family members are currently gathering at the Chester home of Daryl's great-aunt, Johnna Lowry Hodge, as funeral arrangements are finalized. To assist with unexpected costs, his aunt Zyon Simpson created a GoFundMe campaign to honor Daryl's memory and support his family.

In a grieving social media post, his aunt shared her heartbreak over the tragedy. "I love you my sweet nephew WE WILL GET JUSTICE 🥹 you didn't deserve this DONT NO CHILD DESERVE THIS until we meet again I will definitely keep your name alive Daryl the 3rd ❤️♾️🕊️ keep me and my family in y'all's prayers please I'm so lost 🤦🏾‍♀️," she wrote.

The tragic chain of events shows how much pressure local foster systems face, reminding readers of other heartbreaking stories within child welfare when placements go wrong.