On September 22, 2026, Charleston County deputies received a request for a welfare check on two young girls living on Pinewood Drive in Ladson, South Carolina. The dispatch note read, “WE WILL NOT RESPOND AGAIN,” and the call was closed in roughly 65 seconds without any officer entering the residence.

One week later, deputies discovered the bodies of two‑year‑old Emory Deacon and 15‑month‑old Harlow Deacon inside the home. Their father, Zack Deacon, is now asking a judge to compel Sheriff Carl Ritchie to provide him with the complete investigative file – 911 recordings, dispatch logs, and body‑camera video – that could clarify how law‑enforcement handled the repeated pleas for help.

Petition filed under South Carolina’s Victims’ Bill of Rights

Deacon filed the petition on November 10, 2026 in the Charleston County Court of Common Pleas. Attorney Gedney M. Howe IV invoked the state Victims’ Bill of Rights, requesting an expedited hearing and a writ of mandamus to force the sheriff to comply within ten days. The petition also asks the court to require preservation of the original, unedited recordings.

According to the filing, Howe first sought the investigative file on October 4. Three days later the sheriff’s office replied it would withhold the footage. Howe sent a written demand that same day, citing Deacon’s rights as a crime victim and asking for confirmation that the records had been preserved and any redactions explained. The petition states Sheriff Ritchie never answered that demand.

Sheriff releases limited footage after funeral

On October 9, the day after the girls’ funeral, Sheriff Ritchie released video from two earlier visits to the home – an August 30 visit with the South Carolina Department of Social Services and a September 12 visit with Mobile Crisis. Both recordings show the children appearing healthy. Ritchie defended the deputies’ earlier assessments and said he would review the decision to discontinue welfare checks.

Deacon says he received the released footage on November 9, a month after a news conference and one day before filing the petition. He did not receive any advance notice of the public release.

Legal basis for the request

South Carolina’s Victims’ Bill of Rights extends to parents of deceased crime victims, granting them reasonable access to records once a criminal investigation has concluded. Howe argues that the charges filed against the children’s mother, Justine Marie May, and the sheriff’s public release of the footage demonstrate that the investigation is complete. He also contends that withholding the footage without notifying Deacon violates his right to be treated with fairness, respect, and dignity.

State law also provides a mechanism for parents to obtain body‑camera footage involving minor children through court rules or a court order, which Howe cites in the petition.

Background on prior calls for help

Friends, relatives, and neighbors had been calling the sheriff’s office for weeks. Deputies reported seeing the girls during several visits and noted no immediate danger. The last documented visit where both children were seen was September 12.

On September 20, a deputy returned to the home; the mother, Justine Marie May, said the children were asleep and refused entry. The deputy left without seeing the girls. Two days later, a supervisor decided to stop additional welfare checks.

Calls continued on September 23, 24, and 28, including reports of threats and concerning Facebook posts. Deputies reviewed screenshots, found no apparent threats, and forwarded the material to a supervisor, but the filing does not indicate what action, if any, the supervisor took.

On the morning of September 29, a caller asked that someone “at least lay eyes on” the girls. That request was declined. Later that afternoon, deputies and Social Services personnel entered the home and found both children dead. The Charleston County coroner determined they died of starvation and dehydration due to neglect, estimating they had been dead for three to five days.

What the full file could reveal

The complete investigative file could clarify when concerns reached the sheriff’s office, what deputies and supervisors knew, and how they decided which calls warranted a response. Deacon’s petition seeks court permission to review those records himself.

Original reporting: FITSNews — read the source article.