Woman convicted of killing her kids charged after communicating with filmmaker in prison

YORK COUNTY, S.C. — There is new legal trouble for Susan Smith, the woman convicted nearly 30 years ago of killing her two children by driving into a South Carolina lake in October 1994.

Smith told police that a man had carjacked her and stolen her car with her two little boys strapped in their car seats.

A national manhunt ensued.

Eventually, Smith confessed that she had driven the car into the lake intending to take her own life as well. She jumped out at the last minute.

An investigation revealed she was having an affair with a man who made it clear to her he did not want children.

Smith was sentenced to life in prison for the deaths of her sons.

Channel 9 learned Monday afternoon that she was convicted in prison of “communicating with a victim and/or witness,” according to the South Carolina Department of Corrections.

The case “involved telephone calls with a documentary filmmaker about her crimes,” SCDOC said.

Smith “agreed to provide the filmmaker with contact information for friends, family, and victims, including her former husband. The filmmaker also deposited money into Smith’s account,” the department said.

In South Carolina, inmates are not allowed to do interviews on the phone or in person.

However, they can write letters.

Smith lost phone, tablet, and canteen privileges for 90 days.

She also has a parole hearing soon because even though she was sentenced to life in South Carolina at that time, it meant a suspect could be considered for parole after 30 years.

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