The Charleston County Sheriff’s Office has released body camera footage from welfare checks at a Ladson home before the deaths of two young girls. The release follows intense scrutiny of the agency’s response time and actions before the discovery of 2-year-old Emory Deacon and 15-month-old Harlow Deacon on September 29.
The children’s mother, 31-year-old Justine May, faces two counts of homicide by child abuse. The Charleston County Coroner’s Office stated that an initial autopsy indicated both girls died from severe starvation and dehydration due to neglect. They passed away an estimated three to five days before deputies found them.
Body Camera Footage Offers Glimpse Into Prior Home Visits
During an October 9 press conference, Sheriff Carl Ritchie shared body camera recordings from deputies and mobile crisis teams who visited the Pinewood Drive home in the weeks before the tragedy. The footage includes interactions from August 30 and September 12.
In the August 30 video, recorded with a South Carolina Department of Social Services (SCDSS) worker, May answered the door holding Harlow while Emory played nearby. The home appeared relatively clean. Responding personnel reported no immediate signs of physical distress or danger.
Subsequent visits showed escalating tension. During a September 12 visit with a Mobile Crisis unit, May appeared visibly agitated, kept the door partially closed, and refused entry. She mentioned ongoing domestic disputes and family harassment.
Sheriff Defends Response While Announcing Comprehensive Review
Sheriff Ritchie defended his deputies. He emphasized that law enforcement must follow constitutional protections and cannot enter a home or remove children without explicit evidence of an immediate emergency. Records show deputies and partner agencies visited or responded to the Pinewood Drive residence multiple times after requests from concerned relatives.
“If our review identifies shortcomings, we’ll absolutely acknowledge them,” Sheriff Ritchie stated during the press briefing. “This investigation is about two young lives that were lost, a family that deserves answers, and a community that deserves confidence in the institution entrusted in protecting it.”
Legal representatives for the children’s father, Zachary Deacon, questioned the handling of prior emergency requests and pushed for broader accountability. State investigators and the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office continue to review dispatch records, internal communications, and agency protocols to determine if they could have implemented further preventive measures.
Case Background and Legal Proceedings
Court affidavits revealed that when deputies forced entry into the home on September 29 after a new round of concern, May appeared incoherent. She stated she had spent the previous two weeks in a blur and could not recall the last time she provided food or water to her daughters.
May remains held without bond at the Al Cannon Detention Center as the judicial process moves forward.
