PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The parents and caretaker of a 21-year-old care-dependent man in Montgomery County are facing charges in connection with his death. Officials said they got paid to care for him yet left him alone for 24-hour periods.
The mother of 21-year-old Tylim Hatchett, 42-year-old Sherrilynn Hawkins, is charged with murder, neglect and related offenses.
His caregiver, 45-year-old Loretta Harris, is also charged with neglect of a care-dependent person and theft by deception.
Officials said both women were compensated through Aveanna Healthcare to take care of Hatchett, who was blind, non-verbal, and had cerebral palsy.
Upper Dublin police responded to a call of an unresponsive person on Sept. 18 in Dresher, where they found a “severely emaciated” Hatchett “lying on the floor.” The victim’s father, 39-year-old Vernon Hatchett, told officers he found his son almost two hours prior to calling 911.
Tylim Hatchett was pronounced dead at the scene.
Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele said Hawkins and Harris would “clock in” to care for Tylim Hatchett but would leave him alone in his apartment for upward of 24 hours at a time.
“For the period of time between Sept. 1 and 18, Sherrilynn Hawkins had received over $2,000 from Aveanna, and Loretta Harris had received over $3,000,” he said on Tuesday. “The detectives were able to determine 82% of this time, this individual — who had no mobility, blind, couldn’t speak, couldn’t eat on his own, couldn’t take medication on his own — was left alone in this apartment.
“Nobody’s with this young man, and they’re getting paid to be there with him, and let him die.”
According to medical records, Tylim Hatchett was supposed to take several medications daily, but investigators said Harris neglected to provide them.
Officials said Tylim Hatchett also experienced significant weight loss in the seven months before his death.
“He was 90 pounds at Abington Hospital in February and then 59 pounds at his death,” said Steele.
Steele said Vernon Hatchett was notified multiple times about his son’s declining health but continued to leave him alone without food or medicine. A warrant was issued for his arrest on neglect and involuntary manslaughter charges.
“He knows he’s wanted,” Steele added. “Through his past, I would say that he is a dangerous individual, and I hope that anybody who sees him will contact authorities right away.”
Hawkins and Harris are already in police custody.