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‘I miss her’: Parents of fallen S.C. deputy speak out amid ongoing investigation

LEXINGTON, S.C. - Nearly two months after Lexington County Master Deputy Jillian Olson died during a dive training accident, her parents are speaking publicly about their grief and the questions they still have about what happened.

Olson, 29, died July 30 during a regularly scheduled dive team exercise at Lake Murray with the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department.

A month of loss for Midlands law enforcement

Olson’s death came within a month of another loss for the Midlands law enforcement community. On Aug. 29, 28-year-old Columbia Police Lance Cpl. Christopher DeLong was shot and killed in the line of duty, and fellow officer David Dymock was injured.

Olson’s mother, Molly, said the shared grief between the two agencies shows how heavy the loss can be for families of law enforcement officers.

“The sheriff’s department, they communicate with each other a lot, and so there were several people who both knew Jillian and also Officer DeLong,” Molly Olson said. “And they’re grieving, and they’re telling us; this does not happen frequently. It’s not something that happens all the time. And so to have two that are so close in time has been really difficult for them.”

The Olson family said local agencies and fellow first responders have surrounded them with support as they continue to grieve.

Family reflects on life since the loss

Jillian Olson’s parents, Molly and Jim, moved to Lexington days before her death to be close to her. Since losing their daughter, they said they have been navigating grief that extends to Jillian’s siblings across the country and to her niece and nephew, who called her “Aunt Bebe.”

“I miss her. That’s the hardest thing; I miss her,” Jim Olson said. “What happened to her happened to her, and there’s nothing we can do to bring her back, and deep down, I’m angry about it, but again, there’s nothing I can do about it. What I miss is how vivacious she was and just the person she was. I enjoyed being with her.”

“And I can just see her and just feel her; it’s seeing my children, you know, how much pain they’re in,” Molly Olson said. “That’s the hardest part.”

“We spend a lot of time on the phone with our kids consoling, walking through it, talking about them, talking about Jillian,” Jim Olson said. “We’re just navigating these waters because we’ve never been here.”

Parents say they are searching for answers

Jillian’s parents said they have received no official documentation or written reports about what happened the day of her death. Jim Olson said he wants to know what led to her death so it does not happen again.

“We want to know what happened, so it doesn’t happen again. This is something that shouldn’t have happened,” Jim Olson said. “I’ve, you know, just what we’ve gone through; no other family should have to go through. If this was just a terrible accident, well, what can we do to make this not happen again? If there needs to be better standards or regulations, whatever. If this was something that could have been preventable, then we need to make sure it doesn’t happen again and go from there.”

Molly Olson said she does not want the accident to define her daughter’s story.

“I think Jillian found herself in South Carolina. She loved it here. She loved the people. She loved the people that she worked with. She loved her job. She was excited about the future here. She just absolutely loved it,” Molly Olson said.

Investigation ongoing

The investigation into Olson’s death remains ongoing. The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources is leading the investigation with assistance from the State Law Enforcement Division, according to the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department.

Jillian’s parents said they expect to have answers within the next week or two, according to Lexington County Sheriff Jay Koon.

The Lexington County Sheriff’s Department has retired Olson’s call sign, 122, in her honor. Her family said they are also working with local deputies on a scholarship foundation to help high school seniors pursuing careers in law enforcement.