David Baynard, 55, Bobbie Jo Baynard, 45, and Edward Baynard, 21
Baynard Family Found Guilty of Extreme Abuse and Murder in Spartanburg
SPARTANBURG, S.C. — A jury has convicted the Baynard family of Spartanburg County couple and their 21-year-old son on multiple charges in the death of their 14-year-old daughter, Heather Baynard, who had special needs and was found in appalling conditions.
The 7th Circuit Solicitor’s Office announced that David Baynard, 55, Bobbie Jo Baynard, 45, and Edward Baynard, 21, were each found guilty of murder, felony child abuse, and unlawful neglect of a child. Following their convictions, Bobbie Jo Baynard and David Eugene Baynard were sentenced to life in prison for Murder, twenty (20) years in prison for Infliction of Great Bodily Injury Upon Child, and ten (10) years in prison for Unlawful Neglect of Child. The couple’s three prison sentences shall be run consecutive. Edward Vincent Baynard, was sentenced to thirty (30) years in prison for Murder, twenty (20) years in prison for Infliction of Great Bodily Injury Upon Child, and ten (10) years in prison for Unlawful Neglect of Child; his three prison sentences shall be served concurrently.
According to prosecutors, on April 11, 2022, David Baynard brought Heather to Spartanburg Regional Medical Center, carrying her “like a sack of potatoes.” Hospital staff reported that the teen appeared “listless and unresponsive,” with skin showing signs of severe neglect. Neither David nor Bobbie Jo Baynard exhibited any sense of urgency or emotion. While doctors attended to Heather, David reportedly sat in the waiting room, focused on his phone. Heather died that night.
Investigators who visited the Baynard residence the following day found the home in deplorable condition, with trash, animal feces, and insects throughout the premises. Officers required respirators and safety suits to enter. The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) reported that animals in the home were also suffering from extreme neglect.
Court documents revealed that the Baynards frequently canceled or rescheduled Heather’s medical appointments, despite doctors’ objections. Heather, who had not seen a physician since late 2021, reportedly slept in a crib amid the squalor.
During the trial, medical experts described Heather’s condition as unprecedented in their careers. Witnesses testified that her skin was deteriorating from prolonged exposure to feces and urine, with her legs appearing “like raw meat.” One witness stated that Heather “would have been better off if she had been killed swiftly instead of enduring daily abuse.”
Solicitor Barry Barnette said, “Nobody in the world — especially a child with special needs — should have to go through anything like this. It was horrible. Heather was left to rot to death.”
The tragic case has brought renewed focus on the need for protections for vulnerable individuals in South Carolina.
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