South Carolina mother charged with trafficking daughters after alleged sexual abuse for drugs

Helena Nichole Hoyle, 27, of Bonneau, South Carolina, was taken into custody on Friday and faces two trafficking counts and a child-neglect charge after investigators say she permitted men to sexually assault her daughters, ages 4 and 7, in return for cash and illegal substances. According to statements from the children, the assaults occurred on several occasions, with at least one incident taking place while Hoyle sat nearby, scrolling through TikTok.

The girls also told police they lived in extreme poverty, without running water, using a bucket for sanitation instead of a toilet. The alleged transactions involved unspecified amounts of money and unspecified drugs. Hoyle was booked into Berkeley County Jail, and a bail amount of $250,000 was imposed.