+34
Justine May, 31, is charged with homicide by child abuse after her two young daughters were found dead in her Ladson, South Carolina home on September 29.
Justine Marie May, 31, of Ladson, South Carolina, has been charged with homicide by child abuse after deputies found her two young daughters dead inside her home on Tuesday, September 29. The children were ages 1 and 2.
May told detectives she had been in a blur for the past two weeks leading up to the discovery of the girls' bodies, according to an arrest affidavit provided to Us by the Charleston County Sheriff's Office. She also said she did not remember the last time she fed the children or gave them something to drink, the affidavit states.
Deputies and a family case worker had visited the Ladson home in response to a requested welfare check Tuesday afternoon, when May walked outside crying and speaking incoherently, according to the affidavit. Inside, authorities discovered the bodies of the two girls.
While speaking with detectives, May said she believed her daughters starved to death because they had not eaten, per the affidavit. She advised that she was aware that not feeding her children was neglectful and was the only one present at the home and the children's sole caregiver over the last few weeks, according to the affidavit.
May is being held at the Charleston County Sheriff's Office. Her initial appearance is set for November 20. Information on whether May had retained legal counsel was not immediately listed in court records.
Before the children's deaths, deputies had visited May's home 13 separate times since August 10 in response to different phone calls, according to the sheriff. Contact was made with May and the children on August 25, August 26, September 8, September 11, and September 12, during which deputies and other responding agencies observed no signs of concern, the sheriff said.
May's family appeared to express concern about her and her daughters before they died, according to Facebook posts May shared that showed screenshots of apparent arguments she had with relatives and friends, WCIV reported. An email sent by one of May's family members said they worried about May's mental health and referenced the high-profile case of Lindsay Clancy, a Massachusetts woman recently on trial for killing her three children. The case ended in a mistrial.
Lindsay Clancy is on trial right now for killing her 3 children, the relative wrote, according to the TV station. Would Justine do this? No. Would this dark entity that is behind Justine's eyes do this? This haunts my worst nightmares.
Clancy is charged with three counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of Cora, 5, Dawson, 3, and 8-month-old Callan, who were strangled inside the family's home in January 2023. Her defense team is mounting an insanity plea as she is set to face trial.
Sheriff Ritchie said in a statement: The entire staff of the Charleston County Sheriff's Office extends their heartfelt condolences to the family, friends and community impacted by the deaths of the children and will continue to keep them in our thoughts and prayers as they navigate this difficult time. WCIV also discussed the senseless death of May's two innocent children.
The case has drawn comparisons to other high-profile child abuse cases. In a separate incident in South Carolina, homicide by child abuse charges have been filed against the parents of a 2-month-old girl who was found unresponsive inside a home and allegedly died from severe abuse. Following a 911 call about the infant that was made at around 1:11 a.m. on Thursday, March 12, deputies and other first responders visited the home.
The deaths of May's daughters have renewed attention on how welfare checks and family concerns are handled before tragedies occur. The sheriff has said deputies responded to 13 calls at the home since August 10, yet no signs of concern were observed during the five documented contacts with May and the children.
May remains in custody at the Charleston County Sheriff's Office. Court records did not immediately list an attorney for her. Her next scheduled court step is the initial appearance on November 20, where a judge is expected to formally advise her of the charge.
Scratch the next story
Justine May South Carolina Child Abuse Ladson Lindsay Clancy Charleston County Sheriff Homicide
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News: You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Three things to know about the South Carolina GamecocksTwo weeks after their big road win over the then top 10 Texas A&M Aggies, the Kentucky Wildcats are gearing up for another road test, this one with plenty at st
Read more »
South Carolina mother charged with attempted murder after stabbing her two childrenA South Carolina mother is accused of stabbing her two young children dozens of times, leaving both with severe injuries. The 6-year-old victim may lose an arm, authorities said.
Read more »
The injury report for Kentucky's game at South Carolina has been releasedThe Kentucky Wildcats cracked the top 25 this week after their win over South Alabama and now they'll have to back that number up on the road in a hostile envir
Read more »
Oklahoma State-South Carolina Showdown Gets Major Network Time SlotThe Oklahoma State Cowgirls landed a showdown with South Carolina this season. It’s a big deal for the program.
Read more »