A 14-year-old girl was allegedly left to live alone in a squalid Alabama home with seven dogs while her mother and stepfather moved to Florida, police said. The girl was found by shop workers who reported her stumbling outside a store, dizzy and with stomach pains.
Marchelle Lynn Pertilla, 38, and Eugene Medrano, 42, were arrested and charged with child abuse and animal cruelty after police discovered the mobile home covered in dog faeces, urine, cockroaches and rubbish. One dog was found dead in a closet.
The teen told officers she was abandoned in February and had not seen her parents since October 31. She communicated with them via Snapchat, and her mother sent food through delivery services. A heartbreaking note found in the home read: 'How many times mom tells me that she can’t pick me up!' with 87 tally marks.
Mobile County Sheriff Paul Burch praised the Dollar General employees who alerted authorities. 'If you see something, say something. It could mean the difference between life or death,' he said. The girl said she was left behind because she did not want to leave her service animals, though it is unclear if any of the dogs were service animals.
