Young mom found dead behind shed in North Augusta

Destany Hazel

Date: June 27, 2023

Aiken County authorities are investigating the death of a North Augusta mom whose body was found Tuesday morning behind a shed on Womrath Road.

Destany Hazel, 23, was discovered around 10:15 a.m. Tuesday behind the shed on her property on the 1000 block of Womrath Road, Coroner Darryl Ables said.

The woman’s cause of death will be determined by an autopsy, but sheriff’s officials said they are investigating the possibility of an overdose. There is no indication of foul play.

Hazel has been arrested for meth possession in the past as well as giving birth to a son in 2019 while testing positive for meth and marijuana use. She spent a month in jail on a charge of an unlawful neglect of a child before pleading guilty and getting a youthful offender sentence.

Around the time of her guilty plea last year, she posted a message online that said “You’ll miss me when I’m gone” and “I really am a nobody.” Her friends encouraged her at the time.

Online, her friends mourned her death Tuesday, with one saying, “We had the best time of our lives over the past 10-12 years.”

“Through all the bad, the good shines through,” the friend said. “Rest in peace my love.”.

An autopsy is scheduled for Wednesday.

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The Author

Greg Rickabaugh is an award-winning crime reporter in the Augusta-Aiken area with experience writing for The Augusta Chronicle and serving as publisher of The Jail Report. He also owns AugustaCrime.com. Rickabaugh is a 1994 graduate of the University of South Carolina and has appeared on several crime documentaries on the Investigation Discovery channel. He is married with two daughters.

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