CHARLESTON COUNTY, S.C. (TCN) — A 31-year-old mother has been charged with two counts of homicide by child abuse after her two toddler daughters were found dead in their home.
According to an affidavit obtained by WCIV, deputies arrived at the home of Justine Marie May to conduct a welfare check on Sept. 29. When deputies arrived, May allegedly came out of the home crying and speaking incoherently. The Charleston County Sheriff’s Office had reportedly responded to her address multiple times in the past, so they were aware that two young children lived in the home and made entry to ensure their safety.
Once inside, deputies located the bodies of May’s children, later identified by various outlets including the New York Post as Harlow May and Emery May, ages 1 and 2, respectively. According to the affidavit, they were “obviously deceased” and lifesaving measures could not be performed. WCIV reports that they had died of dehydration and starvation.
After being read her Miranda rights, May claimed the previous two weeks had been a blur and she did not remember the last time she had fed the children, according to the affidavit. She allegedly acknowledged that it was neglectful not to feed her children and said she had been the children’s sole caregiver for the last two weeks.
WCIV reports that the call requesting a welfare check on May was made by a concerned acquaintance. When the dispatcher gave the address to a deputy to conduct a check, the deputy allegedly replied, “We’re no longer conducting checks at that address.” Following the Sept. 29 call requesting a welfare check, the deputy who said they were no longer conducting checks reportedly requested that agents with the Department of Social Services accompany him to the home.
On Oct. 3, the sheriff’s office released a statement saying they got 13 calls about May’s address between Aug. 10 and Sept. 29. “During the prior responses, deputies and participating agency personnel did not report observations indicating an immediate concern for the children’s welfare,” WCIV reports the statement said.
May’s ex-boyfriend and the father of her children, Zachary Deacon, was the person repeatedly calling to request welfare checks, The New York Post reports. May allegedly posted screenshots of her texts with Deacon on her Facebook page, including one from Deacon that allegedly said, “This is not harassment. I am genuinely terrified for the kids. … Are you going to hurt one of the kids to get back at me?”
In addition to Deacon, other relatives reportedly expressed concern about May’s alleged behavior, according to the New York Post. A family member allegedly wrote her an email discussing Lindsay Clancy, who was on trial at the time for the deaths of her three children amid what her defense said was postpartum psychosis.
The email to May reportedly said, “This has been the fresh hell your family has been living every day that you don’t communicate or let us see the girls. … Would Justine do this? No. Would this dark entity that is behind Justine’s eyes do this? This haunts my worst nightmares.”
WCSC reports May’s initial court appearance is scheduled for Nov. 20.
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