A Pennsylvania mother has been sentenced to up to 50 years in jail for the tragic neglect of her 21-year-old son with cerebral palsy, who was discovered dead in her apartment last year.
On Monday, the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office announced that Sherrilynn Hawkins pled guilty to third-degree murder and other counts in connection with her son Tylim Hatchett’s death in 2024.
According to the district attorney’s office, Hawkins, 42, pleaded guilty to charges of neglect of a dependent care person, theft by deceit, and conspiracy to steal by deception and was sentenced to 25 to 50 years in prison.
Authorities are still looking for the boy’s father, Vernon Hatchett, “who is charged with multiple felonies related to the death of his son,” including two first-degree felony counts of neglect of a dependent person resulting in death, abuse of a dependent person for whom he is responsible, and conspiracy to commit involuntary manslaughter.
In a news release this week, local authorities revealed that Tylim weighed “just 59 pounds” when his body was discovered dead by his father on the apartment floor in Upper Dublin, Pennsylvania, in September 2024.
Tylim’s father found the boy, who had cerebral palsy, about 6 p.m. on September 18, 2024, according to investigators. Montgomery County officials, on the other hand, claim that Hatchett waited almost two hours before phoning 911 to seek medical attention for his son.
Investigators revealed that Tylim “lost 31 pounds, dropping from 90 pounds to 59 pounds in approximately seven months” prior to his death in September 2024.
“Tylim was left in Hawkins’ apartment alone by himself 82 percent of the time during the last 18 days of his life,” officials earlier claimed.
The authorities additionally allege that Hawkins “and her friend Loretta Harris were both receiving money and submitting hours to Aveanna Healthcare to be compensated for the time they were not caring for Tylim Hatchett.”
According to ABC 6, NBC 10, and WWNY, Harris pleaded guilty to abusing a care-dependent person earlier this year but has yet to be sentenced. ABC 6 reports that she will be sentenced in December.
Meanwhile, authorities are asking for the public’s assistance in finding Vernon Hatchett. The Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office has offered a $7,500 reward for information leading to the arrest of the 40-year-old man and has asked the public to phone the office with any information.
