The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division is investigating a disorderly conduct incident involving Vining after a referral from the Rock Hill Police Department. The incident occurred Oct. 9, according to the girls’ parents, who provided a recording of the encounter.

In the recording, a woman identifying herself as Vining tells the girls she is looking for two boys who, she says, had been involved in an incident with her daughter weeks earlier. The girls say they were not involved. The woman can be heard threatening to hurt them and warning that she would call police and have them jailed if the situation happened again.

The woman also says she serves on the city council and tells the girls they can share her name publicly. The children respond, “Yes ma’am,” when asked whether they understand the warning.

The girls’ parents told reporters they were shaken by the encounter and said the golf cart was a common model used in the neighborhood. Payton George, the mother of one of the girls, said the children deserved a public apology and called for Vining to leave office.

“I don’t care if you work at Food Lion or Dollar General or city council, you don’t speak to children that way,” George said.

George said she had spoken with Vining at the council member’s home but did not believe Vining had apologized. Vining and Rock Hill’s mayor, who chairs the City Council, did not respond to emailed requests for comment.

The investigation is ongoing. No finding of wrongdoing has been announced.