Blind 21-Year-Old Man With Special Needs Died From Years of Neglect Weighing Just 59 Pounds
Pennsylvania mother Sherrilynn Hawkins has been sentenced after the death of her son. She pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including neglect, after her adult son was found unresponsive in her home. The young man was dealing with multiple special needs that made him dependent on his mother. At the time of his death, he had been starving for months. His father, who is also facing charges, has been missing for nearly a year.
On October 20, 2025, Hawkins, 42, pleaded guilty to multiple charges related to the death of her son, 21-year-old Tylim Hatchett. WPVI reported. Hawkins’ charges included third-degree murder, neglect of a dependent care person, theft by deception, and conspiracy to theft by deception. She was sentenced to a minimum of 25 years in prison.
Her defense attorney, Joseph Schultz, told the court that Hawkins had given her son full-time care but then she became overwhelmed, WPVI reported. “Up until the end, she was a great care provider for him, and obviously at the end it became too much for her, and she has now accepted responsibility,” he said.
https://cafemom.com/news/mom-sentenced-neglect-murder-charges-death-special-needs-son
