The parents of a 21-year-old blind and deaf man with cerebral palsy, who tragically passed away in September after enduring months of starvation, are now facing charges related to his death in Pennsylvania. Authorities disclosed on Tuesday that Tylim Hatchett was discovered lifeless on the floor of his apartment, weighing a mere 59 pounds. A medical examiner’s report revealed that Tylim’s cerebral palsy complications played a role in his demise, but the investigation also uncovered signs of deliberate starvation, as reported by the Pennsylvania District Attorney’s Office.
Sherrilynn Hawkins, Tylim’s mother, Vernon Hatchett, his father, and Loretta Harris, the caregiver, have all been charged with neglect of a care-dependent person, as detailed in a news release from District Attorney Kevin Steele’s office. Hawkins is facing charges of first-degree and third-degree murder, while Hatchett is also charged with involuntary manslaughter. Additionally, Harris is being charged with theft by deception.
Hawkins and Harris were receiving financial assistance to provide care for Tylim, who was frequently left unattended for extended periods. Due to his severe cerebral palsy-related challenges, including immobility, blindness, and deafness, Tylim relied entirely on his parents and caregiver. However, the investigation led by Steele unveiled that during the last 18 days of his life, Tylim was left alone for a shocking 356 out of 425 hours. Compounding this neglect, Hawkins pocketed $2,000, and Harris cashed $3,000 from a company named Aveanna Health Care.
Detectives devoted extensive time and effort to the case, meticulously piecing together evidence to demonstrate the whereabouts of the accused individuals when they were supposed to be caring for Tylim. This included tracking Hawkins’ cell phone location, monitoring her vehicle’s appearances on license plate readers in the vicinity, scrutinizing swipe access records into the building where Tylim resided, and analyzing additional data points.
According to Steele, the trio failed profoundly in their duty to provide proper care for Tylim, who was entirely dependent on them. This neglect spanned over months, if not years, leading to a devastating outcome. Tylim’s weight had plummeted by over 30 pounds since his last weigh-in at Abington Hospital in February, where he was recorded at 90 pounds.
Despite Hawkins and Harris being in custody, Vernon Hatchett remains at large, evading law enforcement. Authorities are actively pursuing his apprehension to ensure he faces the weight of the serious charges brought against him.
“This is an individual who couldn’t care for himself and was totally dependent upon care. He’s a care-dependent person, and they starved him to death. They just didn’t provide for him during this period of time,” Steele stated. He further emphasized, “They’re taking money that they’re not doing the work for. These were intentional omissions that she was making through this period of time. [Hawkins] had a duty
