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Couple arrested for leaving 14-year-old alone in squalor with dead dog

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Couple arrested for leaving 14-year-old alone in squalor with dead dog

Mobile, AL

Marchelle Pertilla, 43, and Eugene Medrano, 52, were arrested after allegedly leaving their 14-year-old daughter to live alone in a mobile home under deplorable conditions. The teenager was discovered on January 4 stumbling along Jarrett Road by a Dollar General employee who contacted law enforcement.

The girl reported experiencing stomach pain and dizziness which prompted authorities to take her to a nearby hospital for evaluation. At the hospital, she communicated with deputies and child advocacy workers about her living situation.

The girl stated she had lived alone since February and last saw her parents on October 31. Investigators later learned that while her mother provided food through deliveries, the living conditions in the trailer were unsanitary.

Investigators found the mobile home littered with trash and animal waste, as well as one deceased dog. Pertilla and Medrano had been residing and working in Pensacola, Florida, while their daughter remained at the trailer.

Upon arriving at the hospital, the couple spoke to detectives before being taken into custody on charges of child abuse and animal cruelty. They were also charged with multiple counts of second-degree dog cruelty.

Pertilla allegedly explained that her daughter did not want to leave her service animals. There were seven dogs, three of which were inside the trailer, while three others were outside, and one was found dead in a closet.

Mobile County Sheriff Paul Burch addressed the situation, emphasizing the importance of the Dollar General employee who reported the girl’s situation. The investigation is ongoing, with a handwritten note discovered in the girl’s sleeping area indicating her desire for her mother’s presence.

Burch shared that the girl and her mother primarily communicated via Snapchat and had been homeschooled. Two other children have since been removed from Pertilla and Medrano’s residence as a precaution.

The arrest has led to widespread outrage as the sheriff described the case as horrific and an example of parental neglect.