A couple was taken into custody after their 14-year-old daughter was discovered living in poor conditions inside a caravan with seven dogs, one of which was found dead. The teenage girl was found walking along a road complaining of stomach pain and dizziness, leading to the arrest of her mother and stepfather on charges of child neglect.
Marchelle Pertilla, 43, and Eugene Medrano, 52, are facing allegations of child abuse. Pertilla is also charged with six counts of second-degree cruelty to dogs, while Medrano faces five similar charges, as reported by the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office in Alabama.
The incident came to light when an employee at a Dollar General store noticed the distressed teenager and alerted the authorities. The girl disclosed that she had been residing alone in the mobile home since February 2025, receiving occasional deliveries of food and supplies from her mother, although she was living in unsanitary conditions.
Upon investigation, detectives found the trailer covered in filth, with a deceased dog in a closet, along with urine, feces, insects, and garbage scattered throughout the premises. The girl revealed that her mother and stepfather were residing in Florida while she was left alone in Alabama.
The couple visited the girl in the hospital and were subsequently charged. The sheriff’s office mentioned that the mother stated the juvenile did not want to leave her service animals, which led to her being left alone. A total of three dogs were found outside, three inside, and one deceased in the closet.
Mobile County Sheriff Paul Burch expressed concerns over the situation, questioning why the girl was left alone and whether others had contacted law enforcement about the situation. A note with 87 dash marks, indicating countless times the girl wanted her mom to pick her up, was found in the child’s bedroom, raising concerns about emotional neglect and abuse.
Sheriff Burch emphasized the emotional impact on the young girl, highlighting the distress of being abandoned by her parents. Investigations into the case are ongoing to uncover more details surrounding the neglect and abandonment of the teenage girl.