MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Pa. (KYW Newsradio) — The mother of a 21-year-old care-dependent man in Montgomery County pleaded guilty to third-degree murder Monday.
On Sept. 18, 2024, Upper Dublin police responded to a call of an unresponsive person in Dresher, where they found a “severely emaciated” Tylim Hatchett lying on the floor.
His father, 40-year-old Vernon Hatchett, told officers he found his son almost two hours before calling 911.
Tylim, who had cerebral palsy, was pronounced dead at the scene.
In January, Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele said Tylim's mother, Sherrilynn Hawkins, and his caregiver, Loretta Harris, would “clock in” to care for Tylim but would leave him alone in his apartment for upward of 24 hours at a time. Both women were compensated through Aveanna Healthcare.
“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,” Steele said earlier this year. “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.”
At the time of his death, Tylim weighed only 59 pounds.
Steele said Vernon, also known as Khallyl Ward, was notified multiple times about his son’s declining health, but continued to leave him alone without food or medicine. On Dec. 31, 2024, a warrant was issued for his arrest on neglect and involuntary manslaughter charges. Officials are still searching for him. A $7,500 award is being offered for information that leads to his arrest and conviction.
Hawkins pleaded guilty Monday to third-degree murder, neglect of a dependent care person, theft by deception and conspiracy to theft by deception. She was sentenced to 25 to 50 years in prison.
Anyone with information on Hatchett’s whereabouts is urged to call Montgomery County Detectives at 610-278-3386 or Upper Dublin Police at 215-646-2101.