Newberry man beaten by family after admitting to molesting grandchildren

Terry Hugh Gibbs (Source: Newberry Co. Sheriff's Office)

NEWBERRY, SC (WIS) - Newberry County authorities say a man who was severely beaten by his family after telling them he sexually assaulted his grandchildren will soon be facing charges.

According to a news release, on Sunday night, August 9, officers from the Newberry City Police Department were taking a prisoner into the Newberry County Detention Center when they saw a man in the parking lot of the jail who had been severely beaten.

The man was being let out of a vehicle in the parking lot.

That man told the officers that he had been beaten because he molested his grandchildren.

The officers called for an ambulance and then contacted the Newberry County Sheriff's Office.

Investigators from the Newberry County Sheriff's Office learned that the man's children had assaulted him after he admitted that he had sexually assaulted three of his grandchildren, ages 10 and below.

Investigators say that one of the children reported the sexual assault to her aunt, which ultimately led to a confrontation by parents of each of the children.

A short time later, the man who had two stints in his heart went into cardiac arrest and had to be transported to a Columbia area hospital for medical treatment. He is still hospitalized at this point; however, when he is released, authorities say he will face charges of criminal sexual conduct with a minor and lewd act on child for the sexual assault of not only the three children, but an additional child in the family who was identified after the investigation began.

It is not known when he will be released from the hospital.

Investigators say that while they certainly empathize with the parents, it is important to discourage anyone from taking the law into their own hands.

The suspect has been identified as 54-year-old Terry Hugh Gibbs, of Newberry.

The suspect gained access to the children through family connections, such as babysitting. Authorities say there are no indications that there were any children outside the family affected by the suspect's actions.

No charges have been filed against the parents who committed the assault.

According to Major Todd Johnson, the case is under review by the Newberry County Sheriff's Office