A mother and stepfather have been charged with child abuse after allegedly moving to Florida and leaving their 14-year-old daughter alone in Alabama for nearly a year. The Mobile County Sheriff's Office reported that the teenager was left in a mobile home with seven dogs, which was found in deplorable condition with urine, faeces, cockroaches and trash throughout.
One of the dogs was found dead in a closet. The parents, Marchelle Lynn Pertilla and Eugene Medrano, were located living about an hour away in Pensacola, Florida. Police became aware of the situation on Sunday when workers at a Dollar General store noticed the girl stumbling outside and called authorities.
Deputies found the girl suffering from dizziness and stomach pains, and she was taken to hospital. During her stay, she told detectives she had been living alone since February 2024, and had last seen her parents on Halloween. She communicated with them via Snapchat, and her mother allegedly sent food deliveries when needed.
On Monday, a search warrant was executed at the home. Animal control removed the surviving dogs. Detectives found a handwritten note titled 'How many times mom tells me that she can't pick me up!' When questioned, Pertilla allegedly said the girl did not want to leave her service dogs, though it is unclear if the dogs were actually service animals.
Both Pertilla and Medrano were charged with child abuse and animal cruelty and booked into Mobile County Metro Jail. Sheriff Paul Burch praised the Dollar General employees, saying their vigilance may have saved the girl's life.
