Police captain was having sex with suspect in child abuse case, SC agents say

A small town police captain was engaged in a sexual relationship with a suspect when he began working on her behalf to thwart a child abuse investigation, according to the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division.

Capt. Gregory P. Block, 40, of the McBee Police Department was arrested Aug. 7 and charged with misconduct in office and obstruction of justice, officials said in a news release. He has been “suspended without pay pending resolution of the case,” the Darlington County News & Press reports.

Block is accused of trying to obstruct a case involving a 34-year-old woman who was arrested the same day and charged with unlawful conduct toward a child and obstruction of justice, officials said.

McClatchy News is not naming her to protect the identity of the child.

The case dates back to Oct. 14, when the woman took a “bleeding” child to the hospital, and a doctor determined “the injuries could be sustained from abuse which would be sexual in nature,” an affidavit reports.

“(The woman) told medical staff that the injuries were stained when the child fell into the refrigerator,” the report states. “(She) further stated the injury occurred while the child was home alone.”

The McBee Police Department was alerted and Block responded, assuring hospital staff the child would receive further treatment and an examination for a possible sexual assault, the report states.

However, he called the Department of Social Services and contradicted the hospital’s assessment of the injuries and reported he would handle the investigation, including scheduling a forensic review, the affidavit states.

The resulting McBee Police Department report contained “a false statement and partial information that was misleading,” officials said.

Meanwhile, the child was taken a second time to the hospital on Oct. 18 with complaints of pain, blood in urine, difficulty urinating and “a foul odor,” the report states.

“Capt. Block and (the woman) initiated a sexual relationship, following this incident,” SLED says.

DSS began an investigation into the case in July, after the woman refused to bring the child in for a forensic interview and insisted the doctor “change the medical report to conclude no evidence of possible sexual assault was found,” officials said.

“Block never scheduled a forensic interview ... as he told DSS and medical providers that he would,” officials said.

Details of the child’s condition were not released in the affidavit.

McBee is about a 65-mile drive northeast from Columbia.

This story was originally published August 11, 2025 at 1:22 PM with the headline "Police captain was having sex with suspect in child abuse case, SC agents say."