$10K Reward Offered To Find Father In Montco Son's Neglect Death

EASTERN MONTGOMERY COUNTY, PA — The Montgomery County District Attorney's Office is offering a $10,000 reward for information in the whereabouts of the father they say is involved in the neglect death of his son last year.

Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin R. Steele and Upper Dublin Township Police Chief Francis Wheatley have announced a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of Vernon Hatchett (who is also known as Khaliyl Ward), 39, of Glenside.

Hatchett is charged with Neglect of a Care-Dependent Person, a first-degree felony, and other charges related to the death of his son, 21-year-old Tylim Hatchett, who died from neglect in September 2024.

Hatchett is a 39-year-old Black male, stands 5-feet, 10-inches tall, and weighs 190 pounds. If anyone sees Hatchett, do not approach him and call 911. For tips on his whereabouts, call Montgomery County Det. James Lavin at 484-674-6527 or Upper Dublin Police Det. Brian Devlin at 215-646-2101.

Tylim Hatchett was found on Sept. 18, 2024, by Upper Dublin Township Police, who responded to a 911 call at 7:48 p.m. for an unresponsive person found deceased lying on the floor.

Vernon Hatchett, Tylim’s father, was at the scene and told officers he found his son at 6 p.m., almost two hours before him calling 911, authorities said.

An autopsy found Tylim Hatchett weighed just 59 pounds at the time of his death. The cause of death was determined to be complications of cerebral palsy in the setting of neglect and was ruled a homicide.

A joint homicide investigation by Upper Dublin Police and the Montgomery County Detective Bureau found that from February 2024 to Sept. 18, 2024, Tylim Hatchett lost 31 pounds, dropping from 90 pounds to 59 pounds in approximately seven months.

The investigation also found that Tylim’s mother, Sherrilyn Hawkins, and 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.

The investigation found that Tylim was left in Hawkins’ apartment alone by himself 82 percent of the time during the last 18 days of his life. Tylim could not feed himself and needed to have several medications administered to him daily, prepared and provided by a caregiver.

Throughout September, Hawkins messaged Vernon Hatchett multiple times about their son’s deteriorating health, and Vernon Hatchett visited the apartment on Sept. 5 and Sept. 7, yet he did nothing to provide the food, medicine, and care necessary for Tylim’s survival.

On Dec. 31, 2024, an arrest warrant was issued for Vernon Hatchett on charges of two counts of Neglect of Dependent-Care Person, Abuse of Dependent-Care Person, Abuse of Dependent-Care Person and Involuntary Manslaughter. Two co-defendants were arrested on Dec. 31, 2024: Hawkins and Harris on charges related to Tylim’s death.