Horrifying Missed Calls End In Tragedy

Sheriff line tape blocking a suburban driveway — Photo: PhotosbyAndy / Shutterstock

Two toddlers died from starvation and dehydration after 13 welfare calls to the same home in seven weeks, officials say.

Story Snapshot

The coroner ruled both children’s deaths homicides caused by neglect.
Deputies discovered the bodies during a welfare check and arrested the mother.
Records show at least 13 prior calls and multiple visits to the home since August.
An affidavit-based report says the mother could not recall feeding the girls.

Confirmed Findings from Coroner and Sheriff

Charleston County Coroner Bobbi Jo O’Neal identified Emory Deacon, age two, and Harlow Deacon, age fifteen months. O’Neal said both died from starvation and dehydration due to neglect. She ruled the manner of death for both as homicide. The Charleston County Sheriff’s Office said deputies, along with state child protection workers, went to a Pinewood Drive home for a welfare check. Deputies made contact with the children’s mother and then found the girls dead inside the residence.

Deputies arrested the mother, Justine May, age thirty-one, and charged her with two counts of homicide by child abuse or child neglect, according to local court records and agency statements. The sheriff’s office said prior visits had already established that May was the primary caregiver for the children. Published reports based on an affidavit state May told investigators the last two weeks were a “blur” and that she could not remember the last time she fed or gave the girls water.

Documented Welfare Calls Before the Deaths

Dispatch logs and local reporting show deputies responded to calls tied to the home at least thirteen times since August ten. The reports list call dates that include August ten, eleven, twenty-five, and twenty-seven, and September eight, eleven, and twelve. Officials also confirmed deputies had direct contact with the family on several of those visits. These records show repeated concern and activity, but they do not by themselves detail what each responder saw during every visit.

A 911 call from a concerned acquaintance asking for a welfare check was released publicly, adding a clear record that someone sought help before the girls were found. Reporting on that call shows urgency over the children’s safety and the mother’s condition at the time. The sheriff’s office later issued a detailed public statement defending its response and outlining the timeline that led to the final welfare check and discovery.

How South Carolina Law Frames the Charges

South Carolina law defines homicide by child abuse to include causing the death of a child under eleven while committing child abuse or neglect, when the death occurs under circumstances showing extreme indifference to human life. State courts have treated extreme indifference as a serious, blameworthy mental state similar to intent in these cases. That framework explains why prosecutors can bring charges when omissions, such as failing to provide food or care, lead to a child’s death.

Ladson, South Carolina: Mother could not remember the last time she fed her 2 and 1-year old children, who were found dead in her home

Justine May, 31, was arrested Tuesday and charged with two counts of homicide by child abuse. -Law&Crime pic.twitter.com/YNShXSpqYN

— ˶˃ News Reader Cat 📰🗞️NO DMs˂˶ (@typocatCAv2) October 5, 2026

This case also fits a wider pattern seen in child-fatality prosecutions. Often, the public first sees pieces of the record: a coroner’s ruling, a string of welfare checks, and short summaries from affidavits. The central issue then moves to whether the evidence proves criminal neglect under the statute or reflects a preventable failure that multiple systems missed. Officials say the investigation continues, and more documents may become public through court filings.

Why This Struck a Nerve Across the Aisle

Many readers, left and right, see a system that responds again and again but still fails to protect the most vulnerable. Thirteen calls in seven weeks, a public plea through 911, and two children dead make that anger feel justified. People frustrated with government capacity and priorities point to this timeline and ask basic questions: Who owned the follow-through, what tools were used, and why did warning signs not lead to stronger action sooner?

What to Watch Next

Expect more filings to define the exact evidence behind the charges, including any full affidavits and autopsy details that the court allows to be released. Watch for whether prosecutors pursue the theory of extreme indifference under the homicide by child abuse statute, and how the defense responds. Also track any reviews of dispatch and child-welfare protocols. Those reviews could show where policy, staffing, or training failed the children and the responders who tried to help.