Associated Press

COLUMBIA, S.C. -- Two brothers age 11 and 13 were charged yesterday along with their mother in the beating death of their 6-year-old cousin, who police say was beaten for getting off at the wrong school bus stop.

The aunt and legal guardian of Charnell Smith was arrested last Thursday, after paramedics brought the little girl to the hospital unconscious and brain dead. Charnell died Friday night.

Pamela Smith, 34, told authorities Charnell fell against a table as she was being beaten with a belt for not coming directly home from school.

Her two sons were arrested yesterday and charged with participating in the beating.

"This little girl went through hell," said Sheriff Leon Lott. "This is probably one of the worst cases of child abuse I've seen in the 23 years I've been a cop."

Charnell missed her bus stop last Thursday and apparently got off at the next stop at an apartment complex, sheriff's Lt. Joseph Pellicci said.

Residents there called police, who contacted Smith and gave her the child.

An autopsy showed Charnell had been abused for some time, Coroner Frank Barron said. Lott said there was no evidence to back up Smith's claim that the child fell into the table.

Smith was charged with murder and homicide by child abuse; she and her two sons were charged yesterday with lynching, or mob violence that results in death. The 13-year-old boy was jailed and juvenile authorities took custody of the 11-year-old.

Charnell's 16-year-old sister was in the house during the beating, "but there was nothing she could do to prevent it," Lott said. He would not elaborate.

Smith had custody of Charnell and her three sisters.

The girls and a brother were taken from their mother in 1996 for physical neglect, Department of Social Services spokesman Jerry Adams said.