Image courtesy of Montgomery County District Attorney
Hatchett's 21-year-old son was left unfed and uncared for despite being deaf, blind, and bound to a wheelchair, police say.
Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin R. Steele and Upper Dublin Township Police Chief Francis Wheatley announced Friday evening a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of a Glenside man.
Vernon Hatchett (who has also been known as Khaliyl Ward), 39, of Glenside, is wanted by police for connections to a case involving the death of Hatchett’s 21-year-old disabled son. As previously covered by our site here, Hatchett is charged with Neglect of a Care-Dependent Person, a first-degree felony, and other charges related to the death of his son, Tylim Hatchett, who died from neglect in September 2024.
Tylim Hatchett was found on Sept. 18, 2024, by Upper Dublin Police, who responded to a 911 call at 7:48 p.m. for an unresponsive person. They arrived to find Tylim Hatchett 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 prior his calling 911. 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 has 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 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. 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.
The District Attorney is offering a $5,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest of defendant Vernon Hatchett. 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.
