Darshani Vantassell

Name:
Vantassell, Darshani Lashaye

Date of Booking:
08/14/2026

Reason(s) For Booking:
CRUELTY TO CHILDREN-2ND DEGREE-NEGLIGENTLY CAUSING EXCESSIVE PHYSICAL OR MENTAL PAIN

Officer’s Narrative:
[Please note: The following is a direct transcription from the official initial incident report. The Georgia Gazette does not fix any spelling or grammatical errors that may exist. Any changes or redactions made by our staff are placed inside brackets. Some errors may exist. All subjects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The topics discussed may be sensitive to some readers. Discretion is advised.]

On arrival, the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office SRT surrounded the residence and ordered all occupants out. After all the occupants were removed from the home and the residence was secure, we went inside and began searching the residence.

Immediately upon entering the residence, a strong odor of urine and rotting food could be detected. There were flies, rotting food, clutter and other miscellaneous trash laying around the living room/kitchen area. The kitchen had trash (food waste/normal waste) stacking up in one corner and leading to the middle of the kitchen area. There was no oven or stove. Inside the refrigerator, we observed molding and rotting food. There was a deep freezer located in the kitchen that had one half empty box of fish sticks inside.

I began searching towards the back of the house (east) and located a bathroom off of the main hall. The bathroom was in complete disarray and there was sitting feces and urine in the toilet bowl. Inside the back bedroom (this room occupied by Darshani Vantassell and her four children), which was uncomfortably hot, I located a deflated air mattress on the floor. There was a wet pair of dirty pants hanging in the closet drying as well as two random chairs next to the delated air mattress. Inside the chest of drawers in the bedroom, I located three pull up type diapers and some adult clothing.

I went back up to the front part of the house and search the room directly behind the living room, The room was small and cluttered and had a bed (this room was occupied by [REDACTED] and [REDACTED]). There were signs of marijuana use in the room (marijuana grinder, cigars, and smoked marijuana cigars). This room split a small cluttered, dirty bathroom with the front most bedroom. Inside that bedroom (occupied by Robert Vantassell and Cynthia McCoy), I located a bed and other miscellaneous items. I went back to the living room and began searching the couch. Inside the cupholders of the sectional style couch, I located rotting food. One of the cupholders was also filled with an unknown liquid. I was unable to locate a washer or dryer inside the residence. Also on the outside of the residence on the north side, I observed an exposed water heater hooked up to the residence.

Due to the state of disarray, temperature, smell, lack of food, lack of children’s clothing and other necessities we had dispatch contact DFCS and the City Code Enforcement Officer was contacted. DFCS arrived on scene and began looking through the house. At this time, [REDACTED BY AGENCY] and [REDACTED BY AGENCY] and were sitting in the back of my car with their mother Darshani Vantassell (there were brought there by CCSO SRT after they were removed from the residence). I asked Darshani where the kids slept. Darshani stated the kids slept in the back bedroom with her. I asked her where her husband Robert slept and she stated in the room with his girlfriend Cynthia. Before I could ask, Darshani stated it was a complicated situation. I asked Darshani who rented the trailer. Darshani stated Cynthia rented the trailer and she rented from Cynthia. It was also determined that [REDACTED] and [REDACTED] also rented from Cynthia and paid her by the week. I could not get a confirmation on the amount anyone paid in rent.

After the walk through of the house, [REDACTED] from DFCS came over and began speaking with Darshani. [REDACTED] asked her if anyone could come and pick up the two children. Darshani stated she could get in touch with her God-Sister and have her come and pick up the children. [REDACTED] stated the children were going to go with someone else because they could not be in the house in that condition. [REDACTED] arrived to pick up [REDACTED BY AGENCY] and [REDACTED BY AGENCY]. [REDACTED] asked [REDACTED] if she could just rent a motel room for Darshani and [REDACTED] told her the kids could not be alone with Darshani. After [REDACTED] took the kids, Darshani was placed under arrest and transported to the McDuffie County LEC along with Cynthia McCoy. Robert Vantassell was taken as well on unrelated charges. [REDACTED] and [REDACTED] were released from the scene.

[End of Narrative]