Woman linked to deadly Pee Dee deputy ambush faces new charge tied to newborn’s drug test

FLORENCE COUNTY, SC (WMBF) - A woman arrested in connection with a deadly Darlington County ambush is now facing more charges.

Kristen Porter, 29, was arrested on Wednesday on an unlawful conduct towards a child charge.

The Florence County Sheriff’s Office said that in February 2025, Porter allegedly gave birth to a child who tested positive for cannabinoids.

Cannabinoids are chemical compounds found in cannabis, including THC, the substance responsible for marijuana’s intoxicating effects.

Porter was booked at the Florence County Detention Center, but jail records now show she is booked in Darlington County on charges we are working to learn more about.

In October 2025, it was announced that SLED charged Porter with two counts of unlawfully placing a child at risk.

The charges stem from information SLED said agents discovered while investigating the July 1, 2025, ambush on Old Timers Court in the Lamar area that left Darlington County Deputy Devin Mason dead.

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Between Feb. 18 and July 1 of 2025, Porter and her boyfriend, 25-year-old Cameron Dennett, smoked weed and meth several times while driving around a 3-year-old child and a baby, according to arrest warrants.

The redacted warrants show that one of the children tested positive for cannabinoids at a hospital.

Investigators with the Florence County Sheriff’s Office do not know whether Dennett is the father of the child who tested positive.

During an interview with case workers, Porter mentioned that “it is possible drugs could be in their system [redacted] from being in the car because they (Porter and Dennett) smoked meth and weed a lot in the car that they transported [redacted],” the warrants from SLED read.

Porter was handed a five-count grand jury indictment in connection with Mason’s death.

Porter also faces federal charges of making false statements in connection with the February and March 2025 purchases of four firearms and illegally providing them to Dennett.

Dennett allegedly used one of these firearms during the fatal shooting of Mason. The shooting also left Deputy Jacob Heatherly hurt.

According to federal agents, Porter reportedly lied and said she purchased the guns for herself, but she was buying at least some of them for others.

Mason’s mother filed a lawsuit on April 1, 2026, against Porter and others, including Academy Sports + Outdoors.

The lawsuit alleged that Porter used and sold illegal drugs with Dennett.

Dennett was a convicted felon, fugitive, drug user and federally prohibited from buying firearms, according to the lawsuit.

Academy, a sporting goods and outdoor store with locations across the country, sold multiple firearms to Porter while she was acting as a “straw” purchaser for Dennett and others on Feb. 16, 2025, and March 1, 2025, in Florence County, the lawsuit stated.

A “straw” purchaser acts as someone who buys guns for people not allowed to do so themselves.

THE AMBUSH

During an “encounter” inside the home, the Darlington County Sheriff’s Office said Dennett ambushed the two deputies, leading to the officer-involved shooting.

Authorities said that Mason and Dennett died in the exchange. Porter was arrested at the scene, along with Dennett’s mom.

Warrants show that Porter and Dennett were wanted out of Florence County for presenting a bank routing number and account number from victims, with the intent to defraud the victims and take their money back in February.

Porter’s charges from the initial arrest at the scene include criminal conspiracy, forgery, and computer crime act.

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