Woman tried to sell teen girl in exchange for crack, police say | Crime

ROCK HILL, S.C. (WBTV) - A Chester woman is behind bars in Rock Hill after police say she tried to sell a teenage girl in exchange for crack cocaine.

Nikisha Nicole Lewis, 32, is charged with illegal neglect toward a child and is being held at the York County Detention Center.

According to a police report, an unidentified 15-year-old reported three weeks ago that she was assaulted.

The teen said Lewis and man named Keith Leary took her to visit someone at a home along the 3400 block of Lake Wylie Drive in Lake Wylie.

Lewis was the teen's guardian and she was living with Lewis via a court order.

The teen told police that while the three of them were traveling to the home in Lake Wylie, there was a fight which turned physical and she was punched.  She told officers she was not injured in the fight and they quickly made up.

When the teen arrived at the home, she was given two wine coolers to drink and was offered other alcoholic beverages, the report said.

A friend of the teen, who was also at the home, went to bed.  After drinking the wine coolers, the teen said she fell asleep.

The girl told police she was awakened by Lewis who attacked her while she was sleeping.  She said Lewis was intoxicated and possibly high on drugs.

According to the police report, the officer who spoke with the teen observed scrapes on the teen's knees, hands and elbows.  The officer also found bruises on the teen's arms and legs, and scratches on the back of her neck, right ear, chest and chin.

The officer also noticed swelling in the teen's left eye, which appeared to be black.  There was also a knot on the back of her head.  She also said her left foot was hurting and it appeared to be swelling, the police report stated.

The officer took photographs of the teen's injuries.

Following the alleged attack, the teen told police Lewis left the house and never returned.  The teen was taken home by Keith Leary.

According to the report, Leary told the teen that Lewis had attempted to sell her to a man in exchange for crack cocaine.

Leary's wife, Billie Ann, said the teen informed her about the attack and she wanted to be taken to the police department.

Billie Ann Leary told the reporting officer that she had caught her husband cheating on her with Lewis, but when she saw the teen's injuries, she agreed to take the teen to the police department.

Lieutenant Mike Baker with the York County Sheriff's office says drugs can make people do crazy things to get a fix.

"When a person becomes addicted to drug that becomes their overwhelming desire,” said Baker.  “Unfortunately in this business we do see folks do things that they would not have done if they weren't on drugs."

The teen told the officer she was afraid to call the police from the scene of the attack because of the people inside the home.

The teen was taken into Emergency Protective Custody for her safety.

"We felt that there could be possible harm or danger to the child if we turned them back over to family," said Baker.

Baker says it wasn't the first time the Department of Social Services has investigated the 15 year old.

"She was in custody or in care of not a parent or a normal parent," said Baker.

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