Matthew Heath, the former head baseball coach at College of Charleston, is accused of unlawfully neglecting a kid in Oconee County.
Seneca resident Heath is charged with dragging a child down stairs, repeatedly depriving them of food, making them take cold showers in the winter, lifting them up and tossing them to the ground, and forbidding them from using a pillow or blankets in bed.
The complaint was made by the Department of Social Services, according to a report from the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office.
Heath was charged with unlawfully placing a child at risk on Jan. 13. The incidents occurred between Nov. 28 and Jan. 1, according to the report.
The child’s name and age was redacted in the report.
Heath worked as the College of Charleston’s pitching coach under former head coach Monte Lee from 2011-15. When Lee left in 2016 to coach Clemson, Heath took over the Cougars’ program.
In 2017, players complained to school officials about verbal and physical abuse by Heath.
The school launched an investigation into the allegations.
After the investigation was completed in June 2017, College of Charleston Athletic Director Matt Roberts notified Heath that he had initiated a termination action for “just cause,” meaning the school would not be required to pay Heath the balance on his contract. Heath had three years remaining on his five-year contract.
He made $154,875 in 2017 and was owed more than $450,000.
Heath was 59-57-1 in two seasons as the Cougars’ head coach from 2016-17. The team was 28-31 during Heath’s final season in 2017. It was the Cougars’ first losing season since 2001.
At the heart of the case was Heath’s claim that he was fired so that Roberts could hire Chad Holbrook, the former head baseball coach at South Carolina and a close friend of Roberts dating to their days together at North Carolina.
Holbrook was hired as the Cougars head baseball coach in July 2017.
Roberts and the school countered that Heath was fired for “just cause” for his alleged physical and verbal abuse of his players that created a “toxic environment.”
Heath has denied the allegations.
College of Charleston settled the wrongful termination lawsuit with Heath for $350,000 in 2019.
In 2021, Lee hired Heath at Clemson as a special assistant. He was in charge of practice planning, as well as working with recruits and the pitching staff. He is no longer employed by the university.
