Pennsylvania authorities arrested the parents of five children who were said to have been forced to live in deplorable conditions inside a feces-covered "dungeon" in Fayette County.
Officials charged the couple, identified as 65-year-old James Russell Kahl and 41-year-old Carly Kahl. Authorities found their five children living inside a home that had no beds, boarded-up windows, feces on bedroom walls, fleas, limited clothing, and food.
Children Living in Deplorable Conditions
In a statement, Trooper Ally Wilson said that the situation they saw the children was "sickening," adding that it was the only word to describe what was happening. Troopers were initially dispatched to the home on Aug. 8, to help Fayette County Children and Youth Services (CYS).
That was following a complaint regarding the children within the home, who ranged in age from five to 14 years. The court documents noted that the kids were said to have been living in "deplorable conditions."
Law enforcement personnel said that the father of the children locked the kids' bedroom door from the outside, trapping them inside their rooms throughout part of the day and all night long. The room essentially became a "dungeon" that had video cameras hardwired to the father's room, according to CBS News.
Read more: More Than a Dozen Children Found Living in 'Infested and Filthy' Home; Removed From Parents' Care
Troopers quickly noticed three deadbolt locks on the outside of the door and no door handle, which means the children had no way to get out. Authorities were able to safely remove the kids from the household and later placed them into the care of CYS.
Fayette County District Attorney Michael Aubele said that they are glad that a family member was willing to come forward and report the situation to authorities. He also praised the CYS for removing the children from the deplorable living conditions and the Belle Vernon state police for its investigation of the case.
A Raid of the Home
On top of the living conditions, authorities also found a stun gun, a replica pistol, drugs, and drug paraphernalia inside the arrested couple's home. When the kids were interviewed, they allegedly told officials that the father smoked marijuana throughout the day and neglected them, the New York Post reported.
The father was also said to have made the mother taser one of the children in the home using the stun gun as a punishment. Aubele said that based on everything he saw, the case would involve a long process, noting that he won't speak directly with the children.
The Fayette County couple has been arrested on multiple charges, including endangering the welfare of children, aggravated assault, and reckless endangerment, as per WTAE.
