A FATHER and daughter have been charged with incest after a baby they allegedly had together died in hospital.

Katlyn Edwards was revealed to have been having sex with her biological dad James Brown by police investigating the infant's death in Charleston, South Carolina.

Officers were initially called concerning reports of alleged sexual abuse when they learned the pair were in a "consensual and mutual" relationship when she fell pregnant.

Police confirmed the baby's death was a result of complications due to incest.

The Laurens County Sheriff’s Office said Edwards was arrested on October 22 "without incident" and taken to the Johnson Detention Center, where she was booked on the charge of incest.

Brown is currently incarcerated in another country on unrelated charges and will be transferred to the same detention centre to face charges of incest when he is released, police said.

Sheriff Don Reynolds said: “It is beyond my comprehension how this could take place between a father and daughter.

"At this time, I can’t confirm the baby died from complications related to incest, however we wonder if that’s the case.

"We are working with medical professionals and the Solicitors Office regarding that aspect of the investigation and will update everyone if there are any additional charges.”

No further details, including their ages, were released at this stage.

It comes after another shocking case earlier this year after an incest dad when on a murderous rampage.

Steven Pladl was due in court on incest charges weeks before he killed his 20-year-old daughter, their incest baby and her adoptive father before turning the gun on himself.

The 45-year-old's shooting spree began in Knightdale, North Carolina, where he first killed their seven-month-old son Bennett.

He then went to New Milford, Connecticut, where he shot Katie and her 56-year-old adoptive father Anthony Fusco.

Police later found Pladl, of Wake County, North Carolina, dead inside a car in an apparent suicide just over the state line in Dover, New York.

It is thought that Katie had just broken up with Pladl before he carried out the murder-suicide.