Emory and Harlow Deacon: Coroner Seeks SLED Review in Ladson

Two young sisters, Emory Deacon, 2, and Harlow Deacon, 15 months, were found dead inside their home in Ladson, South Carolina, on September 29, 2026. Their mother, Justine May, is charged with two counts of homicide by child abuse. Now Charleston County Coroner Bobbi Jo O'Neal has asked the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) to examine how the agencies that dealt with the family in the weeks before the deaths handled the case.

The request, which became public on Friday, October 16, puts the Charleston County Sheriff's Office, the South Carolina Department of Social Services and the state Department of Mental Health's Mobile Crisis Unit under outside scrutiny. On the same day, the girls' father, Zachary "Zack" Deacon, spoke publicly for the first time, saying he and others had repeatedly called for help before his daughters died.

Who Were Emory and Harlow Deacon?

Emory was 2 years old and Harlow was 15 months old, according to the Charleston County Coroner's Office as reported by WCSC Live 5 News. The sisters lived with their mother in a home on Pinewood Drive in Ladson, in Charleston County. Deputies described May as the children's primary caregiver. The girls' funeral was held in Moncks Corner, ABC News 4 reported.

In a statement released through his attorney, their father said simply: "Emory and Harlow deserve the truth."

What Happened in Ladson?

On September 29, deputies and a Department of Social Services caseworker returned to the home for another welfare check after a 911 caller reported seeing May walking alone without her children. When officers went inside to check on the girls, they found both of them dead.

The coroner later ruled that the sisters died of starvation and dehydration due to neglect and classified the manner of death as homicide. May was arrested and charged with two counts of homicide by child abuse. WAFB reported that she was being held at the Al Cannon Detention Center. No bond amount was given in the reports reviewed for this article.

Justine May is presumed innocent unless and until she is proven guilty in a court of law.

Why Is the Coroner Asking for a SLED Review?

O'Neal said she made verbal and written requests to SLED on Friday, October 9. She asked the agency to review the actions and timelines of every agency that had "significant involvement" with the family before the deaths. She said state law requires her office to carry out Child Death Reviews for children who die in Charleston County, and that she is conducting one for the Deacon girls.

At the center of the questions is how often authorities were at the home. WCSC reported that the sheriff's office responded to calls there 13 times after August 10, including domestic calls, welfare checks and follow-ups. Deputies went along with Social Services on one visit and with the Mobile Crisis Unit on another. The sheriff's office has said it had contact with May or the children during ten visits between August 25 and September 20. The family says there were 21 calls and more than 13 responses between August 10 and September 29.

According to ABC News 4, an on-duty supervisor stopped further welfare checks on September 22. The sheriff's office has said that decision followed supervisory direction, but it has not said who gave that direction or why.

What Police Have Said

Sheriff Carl Ritchie has defended his deputies. In an interview with ABC News 4, he said, "We checked on the mom; we checked on the children," and said the girls appeared to be doing well during earlier visits. The office has said deputies did not see conditions that showed the children were in immediate danger, and it has called the case "the most difficult call any department could face."

The sheriff's Office of Professional Standards is running an internal review, and SLED's child fatalities unit has been assisting with the criminal investigation. Ritchie said his office's responsibility goes beyond determining what happened on September 29 and includes understanding the circumstances that led up to that day.

What the Girls' Father Says

Zack Deacon told WCSC that he, his relatives, May's relatives and friends called 911, Social Services and mobile crisis again and again. "I never stopped trying to get help for my daughters. I was arrested for it," he said. He also said the sheriff's office released body camera footage of the girls the day after their funeral without telling him, and that the family has not been given a copy. These are his accounts and have not been confirmed by the agencies.

Deacon was arrested on a second-degree harassment charge. Incident reports say the arrest followed allegations from May that he kept contacting her. He is also presumed innocent, and his attorney, Gedney Howe, says he plans to ask for a jury trial in that case. Howe has said the family has had little communication from law enforcement and wants an independent review. Earlier, he said, "We believe these deaths could and should have been prevented."

The WCSC report on the father's comments did not include responses from the sheriff's office, Social Services or the Mobile Crisis Unit.

What Happens Next

It is up to SLED to decide how it handles the coroner's request. The criminal case against May remains open, as does Deacon's harassment case. The family has also asked that SLED look at the decision to stop welfare checks, coordination between agencies and the preservation of records and video.

Timeline of the Emory and Harlow Deacon Case

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is charged in the deaths of Emory and Harlow Deacon?

Their mother, Justine May, is charged with two counts of homicide by child abuse. She has not been convicted and is presumed innocent.

What did the coroner ask SLED to do?

Coroner Bobbi Jo O'Neal asked SLED to review the actions and timelines of the agencies that had significant involvement with the family, including the sheriff's office, Social Services and the Mobile Crisis Unit.

Why was the girls' father arrested?

Zack Deacon was arrested on a second-degree harassment charge after May alleged he kept contacting her, according to incident reports. He says he was trying to get help for his daughters and plans to seek a jury trial.

MotiveX covers cases like this in documentary form on YouTube.

Sources

• WCSC Live 5 News: Coroner requests SLED review of agencies' response
• WCSC Live 5 News: Girls' father speaks publicly for the first time
• WCSC Live 5 News: Coroner identifies the two girls; prior deputy visits
• ABC News 4 (WCIV): Family statement and sheriff's account
• WAFB: Coroner's findings and charges