‘Malnourished’ and ‘Underweight’ 4-Year-Old Dead After Mother and Stepfather Allegedly Failed to Seek Medical Care

A 4-year-old boy in South Carolina has died, with authorities accusing his parents of failing to provide necessary medical care.

According to The State, FOX Carolina and WSAW, citing the Oconee County Coroner’s Office, emergency services were dispatched to a home on the 400 block of Forest Acres Circle around 6:20 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 19, after receiving a report that the boy, identified as Isaiah Joseph Dionne, was unresponsive. The coroner’s office was called to the scene approximately 20 minutes later.

An affidavit from the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) stated that at the time of his death, Isaiah appeared “underweight for his age and malnourished.”

SLED officials reported that the boy weighed just 21 pounds, had sunken eyes, and his ribs and bones were “very visible.”

Authorities have identified 30-year-old Joshua Emanuel Lamar Latimer as the boy’s stepfather, and 24-year-old Destiny Shay Dionne as his mother, according to The State and The Post and Courier Greenville.

Both Latimer and Dionne are accused of causing the death of the 4-year-old “under circumstances manifesting an extreme indifference to life,” according to the affidavit.

The couple was arrested the same day and initially charged with two counts each of Unlawful Conduct Toward a Child, per a SLED press release. On Monday, Sept. 22, they were additionally charged with Homicide by Child Abuse. The charge carries a potential sentence of 20 years to life in prison.

According to reports from The State and The Post and Courier Greenville, Latimer had been employed by the South Carolina Highway Patrol and was terminated following his arrest. He held the rank of Lance Corporal with Troop 3, covering Anderson, Greenville, Oconee, Pickens, and Spartanburg counties.

In his obituary, Isaiah is remembered as “the most beautiful baby boy.”

“As Isaiah grew, so did his personality. Knowing him was such an amazing experience; he was always happy. Isaiah’s smile could light up a room, and his laugh would warm your heart,” the tribute reads.