A Fayette County man was arrested on Saturday, February 20, after a nearly 18-month investigation into allegations of mistreatment towards minors. William Daniel Bennett, 36, of Thurmond, has been charged with two counts of child neglect creating risk of serious injury or death.
The Oak Hill Police Department began investigating Bennett on September 12, 2019, after being contacted by Child Protective Services (CPS) in regard to a referral CPS had received alleging that Bennett had pulled a firearm on a female minor. On September 16, 2019, officers interviewed the two female minors who were present during the alleged incident at the Just For Kids Fayette County Children’s Advocacy Center.
According to the criminal complaint, the female minors advised officers that they had been at Bennett’s house and were playing with toy guns. The first female minor stated that she informed Bennett that the second female minor “was trying to shoot her” with the toy gun.
Bennett allegedly responded by saying, “Well hold on and let us see how she likes it if she gets shot.”
The female minors then advised officers that Bennett went into his bedroom and returned with what they described as a “real gun.” Bennett allegedly loaded the gun before proceeding to point it at the two minors. The second of the two minors advised officers that while she did not witness Bennett loading the gun, she “heard the bullets.”
The complaint states that the minors further expressed to the officers that they had been frightened when Bennett pointed the weapon at them, and that he had cocked it while doing so.
Previously, Bennett factored heavily into the investigation of the 2016 disappearance of David Lee Adkins. The details surrounding Adkins’ disappearance remain vague and unresolved. However, according to a criminal complaint filed in the Raleigh County Magistrate Court on June 8, 2016, both Bennett and Adkins were allegedly part of a scheme to steal copper from the shuttered Upper Big Branch Coal Mine in Montcoal.
The complaint states that Bennett had been found near the mine on the afternoon of June 8, 2016, approximately 12-hours after Adkins had been reported missing in the area by his wife.
Bennett allegedly admitted to officers that he and Adkins had entered the mine in order to steal copper. Bennett further stated that he had last seen Adkins in the mine at approximately 2:30 a.m. that morning, and had been attempting to locate him ever since. Bennett was charged with felony breaking and entering.
A two-day search of the mine yielded no trace of Adkins. To date, David Lee Adkins has not been found.
According to officials from the Oak Hill Police Department, in addition to the charges he is currently facing, Bennett is also under investigation for additional crimes of an egregious sexual-nature, among others, against minors.
William Daniel Bennett was being held at Southern Regional Jail on a $10,000 cash-bond or surety.
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