South Carolina Woman Charged in Alleged Child Starvation Case
South Carolina mother faces charges after two children allegedly starved to death. Authorities had multiple calls about the home before tragedy.
POLICY WIRE — Ladson, South Carolina — A South Carolina woman has been charged with allowing her two young daughters to die from starvation at their home.
Deputies arrived at Justine May’s residence in Ladson on Tuesday after a welfare check and discovered Emory Deacon, 33 months, and Harley Deacon, 15 months, dead from what appears to be starvation and dehydration, according to Fox 4.
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May was found outside her home crying and speaking incoherently. She told officers she could not recall the last time she fed her children and admitted that not feeding them was neglectful. Over the past two weeks, there were 13 visits to her home, including one by the South Carolina Department of Social Services and another involving the state’s Department of Mental Health.
The sheriff’s office stated that no prior visits indicated an immediate threat to the children’s well-being. Despite concerns from family members and the children’s father, who sent messages urging May to seek help, the tragedy occurred. May now faces two counts of homicide by child neglect.
Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)
