The Charleston County Coroner’s Office has identified the two young children found dead in a Ladson home as 2-year-old Emory Deacon and her 15-month-old sister, Harlow Deacon. The girls were found during a welfare check on Pinewood Drive, and the coroner determined they died of starvation and dehydration due to neglect, with the manner of death ruled as homicide.
Justine May, 31, who deputies named as the primary caregiver, faces two counts of homicide by child abuse. The Charleston County Sheriff’s Office described the call as one of the hardest they have ever faced, noting that police had responded to the home thirteen times since mid-August. These responses included welfare checks and visits coordinated with social services and a mental health mobile crisis unit.
Deputies had visited the home as recently as September 20, speaking only with May, and reported no obvious signs of trouble. However, the girls’ father, Zack Deacon, and his attorney, Gedney Howe, argue that many people, including neighbors and family, had been calling for help for weeks. Howe stated that the father was actively trying to sound the alarm but was instead arrested. He added that seeking justice for Emory and Harlow is the family’s top priority.
The sheriff’s office is currently reviewing how the multiple previous calls were handled, and the State Law Enforcement Division is assisting with the investigation.
