31-Year-Old Mom Discovered Dead in Shopping Center Parking Lot – What We Know
A predawn calm in Spartanburg County, South Carolina, shattered when deputies found a woman dead in a shopping center parking lot. The incident sparked a multi-agency investigation and left a young family devastated.
“We would ask for the person who has done this to come forward and be brave about it,” a grieving aunt said.
What Happened
According to the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded around 3:20 a.m. Wednesday, January 7, 2026, to a report of a body at the 369 Whitney Road shopping center. The Coroner pronounced her dead at 3:35 a.m.
The victim was identified as Dané Josephine Waddell, 31, a new mother and Spartanburg resident.
Authorities believe Waddell was struck, run over, and dragged by a vehicle. The driver fled without stopping. “We have evidence that she was run over and dragged by a vehicle,” said Coroner Rusty Clevenger.
The sheriff’s office, working with the South Carolina Highway Patrol, is investigating the hit-and-run. Security footage has helped identify the type of vehicle, but authorities have not located it. No arrests had been made as of January 8, though investigators are following multiple leads.