TWO LITTLE SISTERS WERE FOUND DEAD — NOW AUTHORITIES REVEAL THE HEARTBREAKING CAUSE OF DEATH

Family members had spent weeks pleading for a chance to see the two little girls. Now, authorities have revealed how their lives ended.

The deaths of two young sisters in South Carolina have left their family and community facing heartbreaking questions after authorities released new details about what happened.

Emory Deacon, 2, and her 15-month-old sister, Harlow Deacon, were found deceased inside their family home in Ladson, South Carolina, on September 29.

Now, the Charleston County Coroner’s Office has confirmed their cause of death — and classified both deaths as homicides.

A HEARTBREAKING DISCOVERY

Deputies went to the Ladson residence on September 29 as part of a welfare check.

Inside the home, they discovered the two sisters.

According to their family’s online obituary, the girls had actually died several days earlier, on September 24.

The coroner later determined that both children died from starvation and dehydration due to neglect.

Authorities have classified the deaths as homicides.

The case has since raised difficult questions about the children’s final days and whether more could have been done to protect them.

FAMILY MEMBERS HAD BEEN BEGGING TO SEE THEM

In the weeks before the girls were found, relatives had become increasingly worried.

According to screenshots of messages shared online, the children’s grandmother repeatedly pleaded with their mother, Justine May, to allow her to see the girls.

One message indicated that the grandmother had not seen the children since August 14.

The children’s father, Zack Deacon, also appeared to be trying to reach May and urging her to seek help.

The messages paint a picture of relatives who were becoming increasingly desperate as communication with the family broke down.

POLICE HAD ALREADY VISITED THE HOME

One of the most difficult details emerging from the investigation is that authorities had previously been called to the residence.

The Charleston County Sheriff’s Office said deputies conducted 13 welfare checks at the home over a period of several weeks.

According to the department, officers observed no signs of concern during those visits.

That history is now part of the broader investigation into what happened to the children.

WHAT HAPPENED IN THE FINAL DAYS?

After deputies arrived on September 29, May was reportedly found outside the residence.

According to an arrest affidavit, she was crying and speaking incoherently.

Investigators say May told them she had been in a “blur” for roughly two weeks and could not remember when she had last fed or given her daughters something to drink.

She allegedly told police that she believed the lack of food contributed to their deaths.

Those statements are part of the allegations described in the arrest documents and have not been established as facts at trial.

THEIR FAMILY REMEMBERS TWO HAPPY LITTLE GIRLS

Away from the investigation, Emory and Harlow are being remembered for the joy they brought to the people around them.

Their family described the sisters as “precious bundles of joy” in an online obituary.

Emory was remembered as a bright child with a distinctive personality who loved music, dancing and watching children’s programs.

Harlow was described as a happy little girl who loved giving sweet kisses.

Their family said that although their lives were far too short, they were filled with laughter, affection and precious memories.

THEIR MOTHER NOW FACES TWO CHARGES

Justine May, 31, was arrested following the discovery of the children.

She has been charged with two counts of homicide by child abuse.

As of the latest reports, court records did not indicate that she had entered a plea or that an attorney had publicly appeared on her behalf.

She is scheduled for another court appearance in November.

The charges are allegations, and May is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.

A FAMILY LEFT WITH QUESTIONS

For the girls’ father and other relatives, the tragedy has also brought painful questions about the warnings that came before their deaths.

Zack Deacon said through his attorney that he and others believed the deaths could have been prevented, pointing to repeated attempts by family members, friends and neighbors to seek help.

Those concerns, along with the previous welfare checks, are now part of the public discussion surrounding the case.

Authorities have not announced any conclusion about whether earlier interventions could have changed the outcome.

TWO LIVES THAT SHOULD HAVE HAD SO MUCH MORE TIME

Emory was only 2.

Harlow was just 15 months old.

They should have had years ahead of them — first days at school, birthdays, new words, favorite songs and countless ordinary family moments.

Instead, their names are now part of a heartbreaking investigation.

For those who loved them, the focus is not only on how they died, but on remembering who they were: two little sisters whose lives were brief, but whose presence meant everything to their family.

SOURCES

• PEOPLE — Father Speaks Out After the Deaths
• WIS — South Carolina mother was in a “blur” before children’s deaths
• Us Weekly — Mother charged after daughters found dead