MONESSEN, PA – A couple from Monessen has been arrested following the discovery of their children living in severely neglected conditions. The Monessen Police, in collaboration with the Westmoreland County District Attorney’s Office, charged Jerimiah Roberts and Felicia Dugan with endangering the welfare of children, a felony.
The investigation began on June 10 when police were called to the couple’s residence on Park Manor for a welfare check on two small children. Upon arrival, officers spoke with Roberts at the door, who stated that the children were staying at a relative’s house and that Dugan was asleep on the couch.
Police subsequently made contact with Dugan, who led them to an upstairs bedroom where the children were found sleeping. The conditions in the bedroom were appalling, with feces and old food on the floor, along with flies and fleas. The two-year-old children appeared to have bite marks on their bodies and faces and were visibly dirty.
A witness informed police that Dugan frequently locked the children in the bedroom to prevent them from roaming around the house.
Following these discoveries, both Roberts and Dugan were arraigned and placed in the Westmoreland County Prison.