Thirteen Visits—and a Devastating Question Remains

Police tape with blurred flashing lights in background — Photo: Gorodenkoff / Shutterstock

Officials say two South Carolina toddlers died from starvation and dehydration caused by neglect, and their mother now faces two homicide charges.

Story Highlights

The coroner ruled both deaths homicides caused by starvation and dehydration due to neglect.
Deputies found the girls during a welfare check at the Pinewood Drive home.
The mother, Justine May, was charged with two counts of homicide by child abuse or neglect.
Records show deputies responded to the home multiple times in the weeks before the deaths.

Coroner Rules Deaths Homicides Caused by Neglect

Charleston County Coroner Bobbi Jo O’Neal identified the victims as Emory and Harlow Deacon and said both died from starvation and dehydration due to neglect. The coroner ruled each death a homicide. These official findings anchor the case and explain why investigators pursued the most serious charges. The girls were one and two years old, which fits South Carolina’s statute that covers children under eleven in homicide by child abuse cases. Prosecutors often rely on clear medical conclusions like these to file charges.

South Carolina law sets a high bar for homicide by child abuse. The statute requires a child’s death during abuse or neglect under circumstances showing extreme indifference to human life. State courts have affirmed that failing to provide basic needs like food and water can meet that standard. Prior rulings outline how neglect that causes death can qualify for this offense, which helps frame what investigators and prosecutors must prove in this case. That legal context guides how the charges will be tested in court.

Welfare Check Led Deputies to the Children

Charleston County Sheriff’s Office officials said deputies and the state’s child services arrived for a welfare check at a Pinewood Drive residence. Responders contacted homeowner Justine May and then discovered the children inside the home. The sheriff’s office also said prior visits had established that May was the primary caregiver for the girls. These details explain the sequence from call to discovery and the basis for identifying who was responsible for the children’s care.

Authorities arrested May, 31, and charged her with two counts of homicide by child abuse or neglect after the bodies were found. Multiple outlets reported the same charges, though wording sometimes varies between “abuse” and “neglect.” The essential point is unchanged: prosecutors allege that her actions or omissions caused the deaths under the state’s severe child-homicide statute. Court proceedings will determine guilt, but the charge sheet signals the gravity of the case.

Prior Calls, Released 911 Audio, and Agency Contacts

Dispatch and media reports show deputies had been sent to the home several times in the weeks before the girls died. One outlet counted thirteen responses since early August, with documented dates across multiple weeks leading up to the final check. Those records establish frequent contact but do not, by themselves, show what each responder saw. Still, the pattern raises obvious questions about what measures were attempted and when escalation should occur to protect children.

News coverage also described a 911 call from a concerned acquaintance asking for a welfare check before the children were found. That audio was made public, adding a timeline marker for the request and response. The Charleston County Sheriff’s Office later issued a statement defending its handling of the case and explaining its contact history. Officials emphasized known caregiver status and the coordinated welfare check that led to the discovery. The public release of the call highlights the urgency felt by people close to the family.

What Investigators Say They Learned From the Mother

Reporting based on affidavits says May told investigators the past two weeks had been “a blur.” Those reports say she admitted to neglect and could not recall the last time she gave the girls food or water. Such statements, if admitted in court and found credible, can support the state’s claim of extreme indifference to human life under the law. They can also inform how a jury views responsibility when the alleged neglect covers basic survival needs.

A Ladson mother is accused of homicide by child abuse. Mothers killing their own children is very rare and could result from untreated psychosis. South Carolina and MUSC are making more treatment available now. https://t.co/cOjvy3rPIY

— The Post and Courier (@postandcourier) October 4, 2026

South Carolina courts have long treated fatal neglect of young children as a prosecutable form of homicide. The Supreme Court of South Carolina has held that causing a child’s death during neglect, under circumstances that show extreme indifference, satisfies the statute. That precedent matches the coroner’s findings and the charges here. While the full investigative file is not public, the legal road map is clear, and the medical ruling sets the core facts for the case to proceed.