TWO LITTLE SISTERS DIED ALONE IN THEIR HOME — CORONER REVEALS THEY HAD BEEN DEAD FOR DAYS AS THEIR MOTHER FACES TWO HOMICIDE CHARGES

Harlow Deacon was just 15 months old. Her sister Emory was 2. Now authorities say the toddlers died from starvation and dehydration due to neglect, while their mother faces two counts of homicide by child abuse.

A South Carolina community is struggling to understand how two very young sisters could die inside their own home and remain undiscovered for days.

Harlow Deacon, 15 months old, and her sister Emory Deacon, 2, were found dead inside a home in Ladson, South Carolina, on September 29, after authorities carried out a welfare check.

Their mother, 31-year-old Justine Marie May, has since been arrested and charged with two counts of homicide by child abuse.

Now, the Charleston County Coroner’s Office has released a devastating new detail.

Investigators estimate the girls had already been dead for approximately three to five days before their bodies were discovered.

THE GIRLS WERE FOUND DURING A WELFARE CHECK

Deputies went to the family’s home on Pinewood Drive in Ladson on September 29.

According to authorities, May was outside the home when deputies arrived and was reportedly crying and speaking incoherently.

Officers entered the property to check on the children.

Inside, they discovered both Harlow and Emory deceased.

According to the affidavits, the girls were already obviously deceased when officers found them, meaning emergency medical treatment could not save them.

The discovery triggered an investigation involving the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office and South Carolina authorities responsible for investigating child fatalities.

THE CAUSE OF DEATH HAS NOW BEEN CONFIRMED

The Charleston County Coroner’s Office determined that both children died from starvation and dehydration due to neglect.

Their deaths have been classified as homicides.

The coroner later estimated that the sisters had died approximately three to five days before they were discovered.

A joint obituary published by the family listed September 24 as the date of death.

The new timeline has added another heartbreaking dimension to an already devastating case.

It means the two little girls may have been gone for several days before authorities entered the home.

THEIR FATHER HAD BEEN RAISING CONCERNS

In the days and weeks before the girls were found, members of their family had repeatedly expressed concern about their welfare.

Their father, Zack Deacon, said through his attorney that he had been trying to get help because he had been unable to see his daughters.

In a statement released through his lawyer, Zack said:

“We believe these deaths could and should have been prevented.”

He said neighbours, friends and family members had all tried to get help for the girls.

According to PEOPLE, the father had repeatedly contacted May and pleaded with her to allow him to see the children.

FAMILY MEMBERS WERE DESPERATELY TRYING TO REACH THEM

Screenshots of private messages and emails shared by May on social media show relatives repeatedly asking about Harlow and Emory.

Their grandmother reportedly told May that she had not seen the girls since August 14 and asked why she was being prevented from seeing them.

Other messages urged May to seek help and allow family members back into the children’s lives.

One message from a relative warned that the situation was becoming increasingly serious and that the children needed their family around them.

The messages have since become an important part of the public understanding of the family’s concerns before the children’s deaths.

POLICE HAD BEEN CALLED TO THE HOME MULTIPLE TIMES

The case has also raised questions about previous welfare checks at the property.

The Charleston County Sheriff’s Office said it received 21 calls concerning the residence beginning August 10.

Deputies responded 13 times before September 29.

Those contacts included welfare checks and coordination with other agencies, including the South Carolina Department of Social Services and the Department of Mental Health’s Mobile Crisis Unit.

Authorities said that during previous visits, deputies and other personnel did not report observations indicating an immediate concern for the children’s welfare.

The Sheriff’s Office has defended its response, saying deputies followed agency procedures and consulted supervisors and other agencies as concerns continued.

“I DID NOT REMEMBER THE LAST TIME I FED THEM”

According to newly released affidavits, May allegedly told investigators that the previous two weeks had been a “blur.”

She reportedly said she could not remember when she had last fed Harlow and Emory.

She also allegedly told investigators that she could not remember providing them anything to drink during that period.

The affidavit says May acknowledged that failing to feed her children was neglectful.

Authorities allege she had been the girls’ sole caregiver during the relevant period.

These statements are allegations contained in investigative documents and have not been established as facts at trial.

MAY FACES TWO HOMICIDE CHARGES

May was arrested on September 30, one day after the girls were discovered.

She faces two counts of homicide by child abuse.

She remains in custody, and her bond was waived at an initial hearing.

An initial appearance is scheduled for November 20, according to local reports.

The case remains under investigation, and the charges against May are allegations. She is entitled to due process and a fair trial.

A FATHER LEFT GRIEVING TWO LITTLE GIRLS

For Zack Deacon and the wider family, the legal proceedings cannot change the devastating reality of what happened.

Harlow was only 15 months old.

Emory was only 2.

They were sisters who should have been growing up together — learning to speak, play, laugh and discover the world side by side.

Instead, their lives ended inside the home where they were supposed to be protected.

Their father has said the family’s priority now is seeking justice for the girls while supporting one another through the loss.

QUESTIONS REMAIN ABOUT WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN DONE

The deaths have prompted difficult questions about the repeated welfare checks, the family’s warnings and the systems involved before the girls were found.

The Sheriff’s Office maintains that deputies responded to calls and conducted checks according to policy.

At the same time, the girls’ father and his attorney argue that more should have been done.

Those questions will likely remain part of the investigation and any future legal proceedings.

For now, authorities are continuing to examine the circumstances surrounding the deaths.

And two little girls who were only beginning their lives are at the centre of a case that has left a South Carolina community heartbroken.

Harlow was 15 months old.
Emory was 2.
Their family had been asking for help.
And now, investigators are trying to determine exactly how the final days of their short lives unfolded. 💔