Rock Hill Woman Sentenced to Nine Months for Poisoning Co-Worker’s Drink
ROCK HILL, S.C. — A York County woman from Rock Hill, who admitted to pouring degreaser into a co-worker’s iced tea during an overnight shift in 2023 has been sentenced to nine months in prison. Despite her guilty plea, prosecutors remain uncertain about her motive in what is only the second known felony conviction for food or drug tampering in the county.
Tina Michelle Burch, 58, pleaded guilty in York County criminal court to felony malicious tampering with food or drug products, a charge carrying a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Judge Dan Hall sentenced Burch to 10 years but suspended most of the sentence, requiring her to serve nine months in prison, followed by three years of probation. Burch was also ordered to pay $1,500 in restitution, according to court officials and her attorney, Ryan Newkirk.
Caught on Camera
The poisoning occurred in June 2023 at a business in Rock Hill off Galleria Boulevard. Surveillance footage captured Burch pouring the cleaning product into her co-worker’s iced tea. The victim drank the tainted beverage, later becoming ill with symptoms that included vomiting and facial numbness, said 16th Circuit Senior Solicitor Matthew Shelton.
“This could have been much worse,” Shelton stated, emphasizing the potential severity of the crime. The victim sought medical attention and recovered.
Burch’s attorney described the incident as a regrettable lapse in judgment, calling his client “a good person who had a bad day.”
Prosecutors Unclear on Motive
Prosecutors said there was no apparent motive for the poisoning. “There was no documented conflict, no ongoing dispute, no HR complaints — nothing that could explain why Burch did this,” Shelton said after the sentencing.
Felony food or drug tampering charges are rare in York County. The only other known case involved Lana Sue Clayton, who gained national attention after being convicted of poisoning her husband’s drinks with eye drops in 2018. Clayton was sentenced to 25 years in prison in 2020 after pleading guilty to manslaughter and tampering with food or drugs.
Court records show that in Burch’s case, the swift action of the business’s security system helped bring about a quick resolution. While the incident left lingering questions, Shelton noted that justice had been served with Burch’s conviction and sentencing.
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