The Charleston County Sheriff's Office has defended a deputy who said the agency would stop welfare checks at a Ladson home where two sisters, Emory (33 months) and Harlow (15 months), were found dead on Sept. 29. The coroner ruled their deaths were caused by starvation and dehydration; their mother, Justine May, has been charged with two counts of homicide by child abuse. The sheriff's office says it received 21 calls about the residence and responded 13 times, coordinated with DSS, and followed supervisory direction, while the family contends the deaths could have been prevented.
Sheriff Backs Deputy After 'No More Welfare Checks' Call — Two Toddlers Found Dead in Ladson Home
Two sisters, ages 1 and 2, were discovered dead in this Pinewood Drive home in Ladson on Sept. 29, 2026. Their mother, Justine May, is charged with two counts of homicide by child abuse. Grace Beahm Alford/Staff
The Charleston County Sheriff's Office has publicly defended a deputy whose radio transmission on Sept. 29 said the agency would 'no longer conduct welfare checks' at a Ladson residence where two young sisters were later discovered dead.
Emory Deacon, 2, seen in an undated pic. Deacon and her sister, Harlow, were found dead by police and social services workers on Sept. 29. The Charleston County Sheriff's Office has charged their mother Justine May, 31, with two counts of homicide by child abuse after she told officers she could not remember the last time she fed her children. Gedney M. Howe IV/Provided
Responders and social-service agencies had been called to the Pinewood Drive home repeatedly in the weeks before Sept. 29. According to audio released by Charleston County, a caller told dispatch she had seen 31-year-old Justine May wandering the street without her children and that when asked about the children May had repeatedly said they were 'napping.' The caller asked dispatch that someone 'at least lay eyes on them.'
Harlow Deacon is seen an undated photo. The Charleston County Sheriff's Office found the 15-month-old girl dead inside her mother's home alongside her sister on Sept. 29. Justine May, 31, is charged with two counts of homicide by child abuse in relation to their deaths. Gedney M. Howe IV/Provided
A dispatcher alerted a deputy who said the sheriff's office would stop welfare checks at that address. Despite that transmission, two other deputies and a worker from the South Carolina Department of Social Services (DSS) went to the home; shortly after arriving they found the bodies of Emory Deacon, 33 months, and Harlow Deacon, 15 months. The county coroner later ruled the sisters died of starvation and dehydration due to neglect.
The house on Pinewood Drive in Ladson on Sept. 30, 2026. Grace Beahm Alford/Staff
Justine May was arrested at the scene and charged with two counts of homicide by child abuse. Arrest affidavits say May, found in the front yard, was crying and speaking incoherently and later told investigators she had been the only caregiver for weeks and could not recall the last time she fed her children.
Justine M. May Charleston County Sheriff's Office
Agency Response and Timeline
The sheriff's office issued a statement late on Oct. 3 saying the agency had received 21 calls about the Pinewood Drive residence since Aug. 10, 2026, and deputies responded on 13 separate occasions between Aug. 10 and Sept. 29. The statement listed documented responses on Aug. 10, Aug. 11, Aug. 25–27, Sept. 8–12, Sept. 20, Sept. 22 and Sept. 29, and said some dates involved multiple calls or follow-ups.
The statement said deputies personally interacted with the mother and children on several visits and coordinated with other agencies. It added that personnel 'did not report observations indicating an immediate concern for the children's welfare' during prior responses, and that the deputy whose radio transmission drew criticism had followed supervisory direction, acted within the law, and complied with policy.
On Sept. 29 the deputy in the transmission contacted DSS and requested DSS accompany deputies to the residence; deputies canvassed the surrounding area before returning with DSS personnel. DSS was permitted inside the residence and requested to see the children, and it was during that joint response that the children were discovered, the sheriff's office said.
Family Concerns and Ongoing Questions
The girls' father, Zachary Deacon, and his family told The Post and Courier they had repeatedly requested wellness checks in recent weeks. The father's attorney, Gedney M. Howe IV, said the deaths 'could and should have been prevented' and criticized authorities for not acting sooner. May's relatives also said they had tried to check on the children and had alerted law enforcement to their concerns.
The Post and Courier has asked the sheriff's office for copies of incident reports from each visit; as of the newspaper's request those documents had not been provided. The Charleston County Sheriff's Office said it recognizes the tragic nature of the case and extended condolences while pledging to remain committed to professional and accountable service.
Key factual points: Two toddlers were pronounced dead on Sept. 29; the coroner ruled death by starvation and dehydration. The mother has been charged with two counts of homicide by child abuse. The sheriff's office says deputies responded multiple times and followed policy; family members and the father say repeated warnings were not heeded.
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