CORONER REVEALS HOW TWO LITTLE SISTERS, AGES 2 AND 15 MONTHS, DIED — THEIR MOTHER FACES HOMICIDE CHARGES

Emory Deacon and Harlow Deacon were found dead inside their family home in South Carolina. Investigators say the sisters died from starvation and dehydration due to neglect, as troubling questions emerge about repeated attempts by relatives to check on the children.

Two young sisters have died in a heartbreaking case of alleged child neglect, after a coroner confirmed that both children suffered starvation and dehydration.

Emory Deacon, 2, and her younger sister, Harlow Deacon, 15 months, were discovered inside a home on Pinewood Drive in Ladson, South Carolina, on September 29, 2026, during a welfare check by deputies.

The Charleston County Coroner’s Office ruled both deaths homicides, determining that the girls died from starvation and dehydration due to neglect.

Authorities later estimated that the children had died three to five days before they were found.

Their mother faces two homicide charges

The girls’ mother, 31-year-old Justine May, was arrested on September 30 and charged with two counts of homicide by child abuse, according to authorities.

Investigators have not publicly established every detail of what happened inside the home before the children died. The charges remain allegations, and the case must proceed through the legal system.

According to reports, May was described as the children’s primary caregiver. Following the discovery, investigators began examining the circumstances surrounding the sisters’ final days and the concerns raised about their welfare.

Relatives had reportedly been raising concerns

The case has also drawn attention to reports that family members had repeatedly tried to check on the girls.

According to local reporting, relatives — including the children’s father and maternal grandmother — had sent messages expressing concern and asking to see the children.

Authorities had responded to the residence multiple times before the girls were discovered. Local reports say deputies conducted 13 welfare checks at the home in the weeks leading up to the discovery.

Those details have prompted questions about whether earlier intervention could have changed the outcome. Officials and investigators continue to examine the circumstances surrounding the case.

The girls were gone before help arrived

When deputies entered the home on September 29, they found both children dead.

The coroner’s findings confirmed that starvation and dehydration caused their deaths, with neglect identified as the circumstances behind the fatal outcome.

The estimate that the girls had been dead for several days has added to the anguish surrounding the case, as relatives and the wider community seek answers about what happened.

For families who lose a child, the grief is immeasurable. In this case, two very young sisters lost their lives, leaving loved ones to confront a tragedy that authorities are still investigating.

A case that raises urgent questions

The deaths of Emory and Harlow have intensified scrutiny of the sequence of welfare checks and the concerns reportedly raised by relatives before the children were found.

While investigators work to establish the full circumstances, the case highlights the importance of taking concerns about a child’s safety seriously and ensuring that vulnerable children receive food, water and appropriate care.

May remains charged in connection with the girls’ deaths. Further legal proceedings are expected as the case moves forward.

Two little sisters, aged just 2 years and 15 months, are gone. Their deaths have left a family grieving — and a community searching for answers about whether their suffering could have been prevented.

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