Authorities say Emory and Harlow Deacon died from starvation and dehydration before they were found during a Sept. 29 welfare check.
LADSON, S.C. — Two young sisters found dead inside a Ladson home had been dead for an estimated three to five days before authorities discovered them Sept. 29, according to the Charleston County coroner, adding a new timeline to a case that has prompted scrutiny of earlier welfare checks at the home.
Charleston County Coroner Bobbi Jo O’Neal identified the children as Emory Deacon, who was 33 months old, and Harlow Deacon, 15 months old. O’Neal said both girls died from starvation and dehydration due to neglect and ruled their deaths homicides. The coroner said the investigation remained active and additional test results and information could help narrow the estimated time of death.
The girls’ mother, 31-year-old Justine Marie May, has been charged with two counts of homicide by child abuse. The charges are allegations, and the criminal case has not been resolved. May remained in custody after waiving a bond hearing, according to court information reported by local media. An initial court appearance was scheduled for Nov. 20.
Deputies went to the Pinewood Drive home on Sept. 29 after concerns were raised about the children’s welfare. According to investigators, May met responders outside the home. Deputies and a representative from the South Carolina Department of Social Services then entered the residence to check on the girls and found them dead.
Probable cause affidavits cited by local news organizations say May told investigators that the previous two weeks had been a “blur” and that she could not remember the last time she had given the children food. Those statements are part of the allegations supporting the criminal charges and have not been tested at trial.
The coroner’s estimate places the girls’ deaths several days before the Sept. 29 welfare check. O’Neal said they were believed to have died between three and five days before they were found. Authorities have not announced a more precise time of death, and the coroner has said further investigative work is continuing.
The deaths followed repeated contacts involving the Pinewood Drive address. The Charleston County Sheriff’s Office has said it reviewed 21 calls associated with the residence beginning Aug. 10 and that deputies responded to the home at least 13 times before the girls were found. The agency said its last attempted contact before Sept. 29 occurred on Sept. 20.
Charleston County Sheriff Carl Ritchie said deputies had checked on May and the children during earlier visits and that the girls appeared to be doing well when deputies saw them. He said the sheriff’s office was reviewing its processes while the investigation continued. The agency’s Office of Professional Standards is also conducting a review following the deaths.
The South Carolina Department of Social Services has said state confidentiality laws limit what it can disclose about its involvement in an ongoing investigation. The agency has also said it cannot independently remove children from a home without an emergency custody action by law enforcement or an order from a family court judge.
The case remains under investigation by the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office, with state authorities also assisting. The coroner has not announced that the three-to-five-day estimate has been narrowed, leaving the precise timing of the sisters’ deaths among the questions investigators are still examining.
Author note: Last updated October 8, 2026.