Son, 21, Had Special Needs and Was Neglected by His Mother. He Died Weighing 59 lbs. By Sean Neumann 18

A Pennsylvania mother has been sentenced to a maximum of 50 years in prison for the fatal neglect of her 21-year-old son with cerebral palsy, who was found dead in her apartment last year.

The Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office announced Monday that Sherrilynn Hawkins pleaded guilty to third-degree murder and other charges on Monday in connection with the 2024 death of her son Tylim Hatchett.

The district attorney’s office said Hawkins, 42, also pleaded guilty to charges for neglect of a dependent care person, theft by deception and conspiracy to theft by deception, and was sentenced to 25-to-50 years in prison.

Authorities said they are still searching 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 care dependent person resulting in death, abuse of care dependent person for whom he is responsible and conspiracy to commit involuntary manslaughter. 

Local authorities shared more details in a news release this week about Tylim’s Sept. 2024 death, saying he weighed “just 59 pounds” at the time his body was discovered dead by his father on the apartment floor in Upper Dublin, Pa.

Tylim’s father found the boy, who was living with cerebral palsy, around 6 p.m. on Sept. 18, 2024, authorities previously said. However, Montgomery County officials allege that Hatchett waited roughly two hours before calling 911 to receive medical care for his son.

Investigators discovered that Tylim “lost 31 pounds, dropping from 90 pounds to 59 pounds in approximately seven months” leading up to his Sept. 2024 death.

“Tylim was left in Hawkins’ apartment alone by himself 82 percent of the time during the last 18 days of his life,” authorities previously alleged.

Authorities also alleged 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 reports from ABC 6, NBC 10, and WWNY, Harris pleaded guilty to abuse of a care-dependent person earlier this year but has yet to be sentenced. She is due to be sentenced in December, ABC 6 reported.

Meanwhile, authorities are now asking for the public’s help in tracking down Vernon Hatchett. The Montgomery County DA’s Office said it’s offering a $7,500 reward for information leading to the 40-year-old man’s arrest, and asks members of the public to call its office with information.