A 14-year-old girl was reportedly abandoned in a squalid home with pets while her mother and stepfather were absent for almost a year. Marchelle Lynn Pertilla and Eugene Medrano were taken into custody following a report from shop workers who saw the girl alone and in distress outside the store. The teenager, who complained of dizziness and stomach pains, was found by the police and taken to the hospital. She disclosed that she had been left alone at home with seven dogs since February and had not seen her guardians since October 31.
The girl revealed that her caregivers relocated from Alabama to Florida, leaving her in deplorable living conditions. She resided in a mobile home with seven dogs amidst feces, urine, roaches, and garbage. Tragically, one of the dogs was discovered dead in a closet. Additionally, a note written by the girl expressing her longing for her mother was found with 87 marks on it.
During her hospital stay, the girl communicated with her parents primarily through Snapchat, and her mother sent food via delivery services. She mentioned feeling abandoned because she did not want to leave her animals, although it remains uncertain if any were service animals. Pertilla and Medrano face charges of child abuse and animal cruelty for their actions.
Mobile County Sheriff Paul Burch commended the shop employees for their swift intervention in aiding the girl and emphasized the importance of reporting concerning situations to authorities. This incident follows a case where a 10-year-old child was reportedly deserted at an airport while his parents departed on a trip due to passport issues.
An employee at Barcelona–El Prat Airport recounted the child being left alone at the terminal as his parents boarded a flight.