This week, the Carolinas were hit by a category 4 storm, Hurricane Florence. As rivers continue to rise, the total death toll is officially at 32. Among those who died, two women who were mental health patients and detainees, and were shackled inside a Sheriff’s van, drowned as law deputies were rescued.

There has been controversy regarding the lack of precautions the Carolinas and Virginia were undertaking as Florence came closer. Last week, South Carolina came under fire for not relocating inmates from level 2 security prisons, despite the evacuation order. As of now, there is no official update or investigation into the prisoners’ conditions.

Some say this lack of care is why the two women detainees, Nicolette Green and Windy Newton, drowned in flooding waters on Highway 76 in Conway, South Carolina, as they were being transported to a different mental health facility. According to the statement from County Sheriff Phillip Thompson, the Horry County Sheriff’s deputies tried to save the two women inmates but were unable to open the van’s doors.

“Tonight’s incident is a tragedy,” Thompson said. “Just like you, we have questions we want answered. We are fully cooperating with the State Law Enforcement Division to support their investigation of this event.”

According to ABC News, both women were mental health patients and were being transported from Loris Hospital Waccamaw Center for Mental Health to McLeod Health.

The South Carolina State Law Enforcement Division is investigating the incident. The two deputies have been placed on administrative leave.

Many are critical of the Sheriff’s office’s decision to transport detained mental health patients in dangerous and uncertain weather. Some also criticize the treatment of mental health patients as inhumane and the unnecessary shackles on the two detainees.

Meg Kinnard, a reporter with the Associated Press, tweeted updates about the incident: