A 14-year-old girl was reportedly abandoned to live alone in unsanitary conditions with pets while her mother and stepfather were absent for almost a year.
Marchelle Lynn Pertilla and Eugene Medrano were taken into custody after employees at a store noticed a young girl wandering outside the establishment unaccompanied. Law enforcement officers responded to the scene and discovered the teenage girl, who complained of dizziness and stomach discomfort. The girl, aged 14, was transported to a hospital for medical attention, where she disclosed that she had been allegedly left alone at home with seven dogs since February, with no contact from her mother and stepfather since October 31.
According to reports, the girl asserted that the couple relocated from Alabama to Pensacola, Florida, leaving her in deplorable conditions in a mobile home filled with filth, waste, roaches, and debris. Authorities revealed that one of the dogs was discovered dead in a closet.
A distressing note written by the girl was found by the police, expressing her mother’s repeated failure to pick her up, with the note showing 87 marks.
While receiving treatment in the hospital, the girl mentioned that she mainly communicated with her parents through Snapchat, and her mother sent food through delivery services.
The teen indicated that she was abandoned because she did not want to leave her service animals, although it remains unclear if any of the dogs were service animals. Pertilla and Medrano face charges of child abuse and animal cruelty following their arrest by law enforcement.
Mobile County Sheriff Paul Burch commended the store employees for promptly assisting the young girl and urged the public to report any concerning situations. He emphasized the importance of vigilance and alerting authorities to prevent harm.
This incident follows a case where a 10-year-old child was reportedly deserted at an airport as his parents departed for their vacation due to passport issues.
An employee at Barcelona–El Prat Airport revealed that the child was abandoned in the public terminal while his parents boarded an international flight during the summer.
