MOBILE COUNTY, Ala.— A mother and stepfather who live and work in Pensacola, Florida, have been arrested and charged with child abuse after Mobile County authorities discovered their underage daughter had been living alone for months in a severely unsanitary mobile home in Eight Mile, according to the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO).
Deputies were called Sunday to a Dollar General on Jarrett Road after an employee reported a 14-year-old girl stumbling along the roadway and appearing ill. The girl was suffering from dizziness and stomach pain and was taken to a local hospital for evaluation.
During an interview with an MCSO detective and the Child Advocacy Center, the girl said she had been living alone with her dogs in a mobile home on Jarrett Road since around February of last year, shortly after her birthday. She told investigators her mother, Marchelle Lynn Pertilla, and stepfather, Eugene Medrano, live and work in Pensacola and that the last time she saw them was Oct. 31.
According to the sheriff’s office, the girl said she primarily communicated with her parents through Snapchat. She also stated her mother would occasionally send food deliveries through DoorDash or Walmart.
Detectives later questioned Pertilla and Medrano. MCSO reports that the mother claimed the child was left alone because she did not want to leave her service animals. Both adults were arrested, charged with child abuse, and transported to the Mobile County Metro Jail.
On Monday, deputies executed a search warrant at the Eight Mile residence with assistance from Prichard Animal Control. Authorities said the interior of the single-wide trailer was covered in urine, feces, roaches, trash, and clutter. Seven dogs were found on the property, including four inside the home. One dog was found deceased inside a closet.
All surviving dogs were taken into custody by Prichard Animal Control.
Investigators also recovered a handwritten letter from the girl’s sleeping area titled, “How many times mom tells me that she can’t pick me up!” The document reportedly contained approximately 87 dash marks and was collected as evidence.
Mobile County Sheriff Paul Burch said investigators are continuing to look into how the situation persisted for so long and whether others attempted to report concerns.
“Thank goodness for the employee with Dollar General who contacted the county and we were able to respond,” Burch said. “If you see something, say something. It could mean the difference between life or death.”