A Pennsylvania mother, aged 43, is facing a lengthy prison sentence after confessing to her involvement in the tragic death of her 21-year-old son, who had special needs. The young man was discovered in a state of severe malnutrition, weighing only 59 pounds when authorities found him deceased at their residence last year.

On Monday, Sherrilynn Hawkins entered a guilty plea to charges including third-degree murder, neglect of a dependent person, theft by deception, and conspiracy to commit theft by deception, all related to the death of her son, Tylim Hatchett. Following her admission, Montgomery County Common Pleas Judge Wendy G. Rothstein sentenced Hawkins to serve between 25 and 50 years in a state prison.

The Montgomery County District Attorney, Kevin R. Steele, issued a statement noting that the search continues for Tylim’s father, 40-year-old Vernon Hatchett. He faces various charges, including neglect resulting in death and conspiracy to commit involuntary manslaughter. A $7,500 reward is offered for information leading to his capture. Authorities urge anyone who spots Hatchett to contact 911 immediately.

Prosecutors revealed that Tylim Hatchett’s demise was due to sustained neglect by his parents and an acquaintance, Loretta Harris. Harris, a friend of Hawkins, along with Hawkins, received payments from a home health care agency to care for Tylim, yet they frequently left him unattended for extended periods, sometimes up to a full day.

During the court proceedings, Montgomery County First Assistant District Attorney Ed McCann remarked on Hawkins’ apparent lack of remorse, indicating she minimized her culpability by asserting she was a “great care provider” until she became overwhelmed in her son’s final days.

“I had hoped that she would offer a genuine expression of remorse for her role in her son’s death and provide some insight into her actions,” McCann stated, as reported by Philadelphia ABC affiliate WPVI. “However, we didn’t hear any of that today.”

Harris, who previously pleaded guilty to neglect of a dependent person, will be sentenced in December.

As Law&Crime previously reported, police at about 7:50 p.m. on Sept. 18, 2024, responded to an apartment complex in Dresher, Pennsylvania, regarding a report of an unresponsive person. Upon arriving at the address, first responders said they found Tylim Hatchett “severely emaciated and lying on the floor.”

He was pronounced dead at the scene. Vernon Hatchett was at the apartment and allegedly told officers that he’d found his son about two hours before he got around to calling 911.

A subsequent autopsy performed by a forensic pathologist at the Montgomery County Coroner’s Office determined that the cause of death was complications due to cerebral palsy in the setting of neglect. The manner of death was determined to be a homicide.

According to a previous press release, police, with the assistance of the Montgomery County Detective Bureau, conducted an investigation and found that in February 2024, Tylim Hatchett weighed 91 pounds, meaning he had lost 31 pounds — more than one-third of his total body weight — over the course of just seven months.

Investigators also found evidence showing that Hawkins and Harris were both submitting hours and receiving money from Aveanna Healthcare to be compensated for their time, even though the women were not actually caring for the victim.

“A review of cell phone records found that Hawkins and Harris would ‘clock in’ as a caretaker for Tylim Hatchett at times they were not actively with him, leaving him alone for upwards of 24 hours at a time,” the release states. “Between Sept. 1, 2024, and Sept. 18, 2024, Tylim Hatchett was left in the apartment by himself for 356 of the 425 hours, translating to 82% of the time within those 18 days.”

According to authorities, Tylim Hatchett’s medical records also listed several medications he was supposed to take every day. Those medications needed to be prepared and provided by a caregiver as the victim was “unable to self-medicate.” However, investigators said that Harris had not given Tylim Hatchett any medications at all when she visited.

The victim’s parents also appeared to be well aware of the danger their son was in.

“Throughout September, Hawkins messaged Vernon Hatchett multiple times about their son’s deteriorating health yet continued to leave him alone without providing him food or medicine,” the release states.