Two Bamberg women said they were “trying to be the responsible adults” but never the less face charges for their alleged involvement in a teen drinking party that saw 15 youth appear in the Bamberg County’s Sheriff Office and receive citations for minor in possession of beer, while another underage subject was issued a citation for minor in possession of beer.

Julie Craig, 38, of 209 Lacey Street and Tiffany Bryant, 21, of 132 Lacey Street in Bamberg were charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor for their alleged part in a teen drinking party on Drive In Ct., in Bamberg on Saturday, April 14, that according to a Bamberg County Sheriff’s Office Incident Report involved approximately 40-50 teenagers.

According to the incident report, on April 14, Bamberg County Sheriff’s Officers received a call from a complainant stating that he observed “multiple juveniles” at a party on Drive In Court and noticed a large crowd of approximately 40-50 teenagers on the property.

Upon approaching the large crowd, officers noticed that several of the teenagers fled into the woods. According to the report officers noticed a small group of teenagers standing around a table and appeared to be playing “a drinking game” with beer. Officers noticed beer and liquor bottles lying in various areas to include: Tables, the grounds and vehicles.

The report stated that officers could “smell alcohol” on several of the teenagers. Officers asked if anyone was of the legal drinking age of twenty one and Ms. Tiffany Bryant stated that “she was”. Officers asked if anyone else on the scene was twenty one and no one spoke up. Officers were advised by Ms. Bryant that another subject Ms. Julie Craig had left and would be back shortly. The report noted that no parents of the teenagers were on the scene. Several of the teen admitted to drinking and several others said they were not drinking according to the incident report. The ages of the teens reportedly ranged in age from sixteen to eighteen years of age.

All the teenagers were administered the HGN test. According to the report when Ms. Craig arrived back on the scene she stated that she and Ms. Bryant were “chaperoning” the party.

The report noted that Bryant and Craig stated that “they were trying to be the responsible adults” and they weren’t going to allow any of the teenagers to leave if they had been drinking.

Those teenagers who had not been drinking were allowed to call family members to come and get them or if a family member could not be reached they were allowed to leave. Teenagers who admitted to drinking were asked to pickup all empty cans, cups, or bottles that had contained alcohol and put them into trash bags. The report stated that “five thirty gallon trash bags” containing various beer cans, liquor bottles, and cups that had contained alcohol were collected. The teenagers were then allowed to call their parents to come and get them if their parents were available. If a parent was not available officers allowed the teenagers to leave with other family members to get home. Law enforcement personnel helped in assisting those teenagers lost in the woods to find their way out. According to the report officers will discuss the case with the sheriff regarding any charges to be made.

Law enforcement units responding to the scene were: The Bamberg Sheriff’s Office, Bamberg Police Department and the South Carolina Highway Patrol.