The Aporia · South Carolina mother charged after allegedly starving her children to death

A South Carolina woman named Justine May has been charged with two counts of homicide by child neglect after her two young daughters, aged 33 months and 15 months, were found dead from starvation and dehydration at their home in Ladson. Deputies had responded to the house multiple times over a two-week period prior to the discovery, including visits by social services and mental health professionals, but there was no indication during those visits that the children were in immediate danger. May reportedly did not remember feeding her children in the days leading up to their deaths and admitted that withholding food from them was neglectful.

Written by AI on 2026-10-04, from this article's own text only (the story summary below draws on all the coverage).

Story summary

Justine Marie May, a 31-year-old mother from Ladson, South Carolina, was charged with two counts of homicide by child abuse after her two young daughters, Emory Deacon (2 years old) and Harlow (1 year old), were found dead at their home due to starvation and dehydration. On September 29, deputies responded to a welfare check call where May was reportedly outside the house crying and speaking incoherently. Inside, they discovered the children's bodies.

May told investigators she couldn't remember when she last fed her daughters or gave them water, describing the previous two weeks as a "blur." She acknowledged that not feeding her children was neglectful. Family members had previously emailed May expressing concern about postpartum depression and fears of her harming the children, referencing the Lindsay Clancy murder trial in Massachusetts.

Prior to this incident, authorities had visited May's home 13 times between August 10 and September 29 due to welfare concerns.

Written for “Mom Charged Starving Daughters” on 2026-11-01, grounded in this article and the 2 other(s) covering the same event.

📰 Mom Charged Starving Daughters

Crime & Law · 3 article(s) covering the same event. Compare every outlet's account →

This article reads unscored and hedges 50% of its claims. Each row says how that neighbour differs.

South Carolina mom couldn't remember last time she fed 2 daughters before they were found dead: affidavit Same event

Fox News

Hedges 12 of 16 claims Outlet record 69/100

Mom accused of starving 2 young girls to death after family feared Lindsay Clancy copycat Same event

New York Post

Hedges 13 of 29 claims Outlet record 66/100

South Carolina mom accused of knife attack on young children; 6-year-old may lose arm: sheriff's office Different event

Fox News

Hedges 4 of 20 claims Outlet record 69/100

“The articles describe different incidents involving distinct mothers and children in separate locations with different circumstances.”

Article leaning vs. publisher reliability

Source leaning vs. consistency

Graig Graziosi

44 article(s) here · 1 carrying a prediction

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🔮 Deputies responded to a welfare check at the Ladson home of Justine May on Tuesday.

2026-10-04 · mixed framing · South Carolina mother charged after allegedly starving her children to death

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When audio of the 911 call directing deputies to the house was made public, a dispatcher said that the office was "no longer conducting welfare checks at that address," stirring up the ire of some locals.

framing: mixed · carried by 1 article(s) · first seen 2026-10-04

🔮 Deputies responded to a welfare check at the Ladson home of Justine May on Tuesday.

2026-10-04 · The Independent

South Carolina mother charged after allegedly starving her children to death · mixed framing

A woman in South Carolina has been accused of letting her two young daughters starve to death in her home. asserted

daughters → accuse → home

Deputies responded to a welfare check at the Ladson home of Justine May on Tuesday. uncertain

Deputies → respond → Tuesday

When they arrived, they found May's two children, Emory Deacon, 33 months, and Harley Deacon, 15 months, dead from apparent starvation and dehydration, according to Fox 4. uncertain

children → arrive → Fox

May was reportedly standing outside of her home crying and "speaking incoherently" when the deputies arrived. uncertain

deputies → stand → home

She told police she "did not remember" the last time she fed her children and said that she knew that "not feeding her children was neglectful," according to court documents. uncertain

feeding → tell → documents

May reportedly described the previous two weeks as a blur that she could barely remember. uncertain

she → describe → that

She was arrested on two counts of homicide by child neglect, according to WALA. uncertain

She → arrest → WALA

Authorities have had to visit May in the past. uncertain

Authorities → have → past

Between Aug. 10 and the day the children were found dead, deputies responded to May's house 13 times. uncertain

deputies → find → house

One of those visits included personnel from the South Carolina Department of Social Services. asserted

One → include → Services

Another visit involved members of the state's Department of Mental Health and its Mobile Crisis Unit. asserted

visit → involve → Health

office → direct → locals

The sheriff's office explained that it had received 21 calls about May's address since Aug. 10, and said that there was no indication during any of the previous stops that either of the children were in danger. “During the prior responses, deputies and participating agency personnel did not report observations indicating an immediate concern for the children’s welfare,” the sheriff's office said. uncertain

office → explain → welfare

"The Charleston County Sheriff’s Office recognizes the profound gravity of this tragedy and extends its deepest condolences to everyone affected," the CCSO said in a statement. asserted

CCSO → recognize → statement

"We remain steadfast in our commitment to professional, lawful, and accountable service to this community. asserted

We → remain → community

May appears to have been aware that people in her life were concerned for her mental health. uncertain

people → appear → health

She shared screenshots on Facebook of messages she had received from family members and the little girls' father begging her to seek help. asserted

she → share → help

"I am begging you to hear me. asserted

I → beg → me

I am f---ing begging you to please get help," the father of the girls wrote to her. asserted

father → beg → her

He wrote that May was "spiraling." uncertain

May → write → ?

"I need you to understand that no matter what, you are the mother of Emory and Harlow. asserted

you → need → Emory

You’ve always been a good mother," he wrote. asserted

he → write → ?

South Carolina mother charged after allegedly starving her children to death

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