"Suspicious" death of St. Helena child under investigation

The death of a 6-year-old St. Helena Island girl is under investigation by the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office and the S.C. Department of Social Services.

D'Naja Fields, a student at Riverview Charter School in Beaufort, died July 10, two days after family members brought her to Beaufort Memorial Hospital, Capt. Bob Bromage of the Sheriff's Office said Thursday.

The cause of death was not available pending the results of an autopsy, Beaufort County Coroner Ed Allen said.

However, a report on the incident, which would require heavy redactions, lists the incident as "suspicious," Bromage said. The Sheriff's Office investigates all reported deaths as homicides until proven otherwise to ensure deputies collect the proper evidence.

From Beaufort Memorial, the child was transported to the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, where she was pronounced dead, Bromage said.

Fields was the daughter of Antonio Coaxum and Dajaa' Fields of St. Helena, according to her obituary.

Bromage would not say whether Fields was responsive when she was brought to the hospital or which family members transported her.

He would not release further information about the case because it is an active investigation.

Follow reporter Rebecca Lurye on Twitter at twitter.com/IPBG_Rebecca.

This story was originally published July 16, 2015 at 11:29 AM with the headline ""Suspicious" death of St. Helena child under investigation."