Investigators allege the 27-year-old allowed men access to her daughters, ages 4 and 7, in exchange for money and illegal drugs.
BONNEAU, S.C. — A South Carolina mother has been arrested on trafficking and child-neglect charges after investigators alleged she allowed multiple men to sexually abuse her two young daughters in exchange for money and illegal drugs, according to arrest documents described by local news reports.
Helena Nichole Hoyle, 27, was arrested Aug. 14 by the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office and charged with two counts of trafficking persons and two counts of child neglect. The allegations involve Hoyle’s daughters, ages 4 and 7. Their names have not been released in the reports reviewed because they are minors and alleged victims of sexual abuse.
Deputies were contacted Aug. 3 about a reported sexual assault involving the younger girl, according to arrest documents cited by WCSC and Gray News. Investigators later interviewed both children. Authorities allege the girls described being repeatedly sexually assaulted by multiple unidentified men at different times.
The arrest affidavit alleges Hoyle allowed men access to her daughters and received money and illegal drugs in return. The allegations are the basis of the criminal charges against her and have not been proven in court. Publicly available reports reviewed Wednesday did not indicate that Hoyle had entered a plea or been convicted in connection with the case.
Investigators said the younger child was unable to provide the same level of detail as her older sister because of her age but made statements that authorities said supported parts of the older girl’s account. Additional sensitive details contained in reports about the alleged abuse are being omitted because they are not necessary to explain the charges and involve very young children.
The men described by the children had not been publicly identified in the reports reviewed. Authorities had not announced additional arrests or charges tied to the allegations. It also remained unclear Wednesday whether investigators had identified any of the men or whether other arrests could follow as the investigation continues.
Hoyle was booked into the Berkeley County Jail after her arrest. WCSC reported that her bail was set at $250,000. No attorney speaking on Hoyle’s behalf was identified in the reports reviewed, and no public statement from her responding to the allegations was available.
The Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office is handling the investigation. The current reports do not provide a date for Hoyle’s next court appearance or identify additional defendants in the case. Criminal charges are accusations, and Hoyle is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
The case remained pending Wednesday. Authorities have not publicly identified the two children or released further information about their current circumstances, and no additional charges or arrests had been announced in the latest reports reviewed.
Author note: Last updated August 19, 2026.