Mother explains arranged marriages in Murphy Village after DSS tries to question her daughter

Monday, Sept. 3, 2016

NORTH AUGUSTA, S.C. (WRDW/WAGT)-- Arranged marriages are part of a century old tradition in Murphy Village. The Department of Social Services took six girls, as young as six years old, from Murphy Village under allegations of sexual abuse more than forty days ago.

On Thursday, a DSS agent wanted to talk to another girl because she believes the girl participated in a matching ceremony. The mother sent the agent away because she didn't have a warrant.

Stephanie Mulholland calls Landrie her miracle child.

"They wanted me to get consent from my priest because I'm Catholic to abort the baby and I was like absolutely not," Mullholand said.

Landrie wasn't suppose to survive, but she is here today.

"Like I said if I had my chance to neglect or abuse I had my chance eleven years ago not to have my child," she said through tears.

“Neglect” and "Sexual abuse" are the accusation a DSS investigator gave to Mulholland on Thursday. On Your Side was there when DSS demanded to speak to Landrie alone. The investigator left after Mulholland demanded to see a warrant.

“They came on false allegations they say they have pictures of my daughter and they believe she was in an arraigned marriage," the mother said.

Mulholland says DSS claims someone told them her daughter was part of a matching ceremony in April. She says the investigator showed her pictures from Facebook.

One picture, dated in April, is from a confirmation. In the Traveler culture its popular to dress up in glitzy outfits for special occasions even at a young age.

Liz:” "Do you have a boyfriend?"

Laundrie: "No."

Liz: "Are you engaged?"

Landrie: "No."

Liz: "Do you one day want to get married?"

Landrie: “I’m not even thinking about it right now."

Right now the idea of marriage seems silly to Landrie but one day her mother could match her with someone in village.

Liz: "Did you have an arranged marriage?"

Stephanie: "Yes, my first marriage was an arranged marriage."

Mulholland says she was matched at 17-years old. She was married at 18-years old to a boy the same age.

Barry Fisher is a civil rights attorney with extensive knowledge on Irish Travelers.

"Their culture and tradition that they brought from Ireland over a century ago when they started immigrating here involves matching," the attorney said. "And matching doesn't mean sexual activity and it doesn't mean marriage," he added.

Fisher says the Travelers have deep roots the Roman Catholic Church which push purity.

Liz: "Is that frowned on culture to do (sexual activity) that before you get married?"

Stephanie: "Yes, absolutely they do not approve of that."

From the outside, the Travelers' culture may seem different but on the inside Mulholland says she is a mother like everyone else.

"I will fight and do what I got to do until the day I die and keep my child safe and do what is best for her," she cried.