New Bodycam Footage Reveals Tense Police Welfare Checks Weeks Before Two Toddlers Were Found Dead

Newly released body camera footage is raising troubling questions about what happened in the weeks before two young sisters were found dead inside their South Carolina home.

The footage shows interactions between authorities and Justine May, 31, whose daughters, Emory Deacon, 2, and Harlow Deacon, 15 months, were later discovered dead at their home in Ladson on September 29, 2026.

According to PEOPLE, deputies and social services personnel had conducted multiple welfare checks at the residence after relatives expressed concerns about the children. Authorities have said that 13 checks took place in the weeks leading up to the discovery.

Two visits, recorded on August 30 and September 12, have now drawn particular attention.

During the August visit, May answered the door while holding her younger daughter. Officials explained that they had come because the children’s father and other family members had raised concerns and had reportedly been unable to see the girls.

The footage captures May expressing discomfort with the visit, while the children can be seen moving around the home during the interaction.

In the September 12 recording, May appears increasingly frustrated by the repeated visits. She tells officials that she is tired of the checks and insists that her family has been harassing her. She also denies experiencing certain mental health symptoms when questioned by responders.

Authorities previously stated that the earlier visits did not reveal circumstances they believed required immediate law enforcement intervention. The sheriff’s office said additional welfare checks were discontinued after September 22, based on the information available at the time.

One week later, the two girls were found dead.

The county coroner determined that the children died from starvation and dehydration due to neglect, and their deaths were classified as homicides. May has been charged with two counts of homicide by child abuse. The charges are allegations, and the case remains a criminal matter.

The newly released footage has intensified public scrutiny of the events leading up to the children’s deaths, including the repeated welfare checks and the decisions made during those visits.

The case leaves difficult questions about whether anything could have been done differently to protect the two young children before it was too late.

Source: PEOPLE

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