Three individuals have been charged after a resident noticed a “matted” 7-year-old boy wandering alone round a neighborhood “distraught and confused and really scared-looking” — after which the boy led authorities to his residence the place they discovered his 4 siblings.
Freedom Township in Pennsylvania was rocked over the weekend after a 7-year-old boy discovered wandering in a residential neighborhood led to a stunning discovery at residence, and in the end three arrests.
Dominic Andrew, 31, Zoe Elise Zungali, 31, and Gillian Bem, 18, have been reportedly arraigned on Saturday on 5 felony counts of endangering the welfare of kids, two felony counts of false imprisonment and 5 misdemeanor counts of cruelty to animals, per the Altoona Mirror.
It was round 5:41 p.m. on Friday, July 18 when Freedom Township officers have been dispatched in response to a person who was out strolling his canine when he noticed a toddler he estimated at 5 or 6 years previous (he turned out to be 7) wandering alone on the street and utterly unsupervised. The person mentioned he ran and stopped the kid from operating right into a busy street, after which a second witness known as police.
Upon arrival, police described the kid as having a “matted” look, with ripped pants and no sneakers. He was additionally reportedly lined in urine, per the Mirror. The Zungalis are believed to be the boy’s mother and father, whereas Bem is reportedly their aunt, per Regulation & Crime.
The witness described the boy to WTAJ as being “actually distraught and confused and really scared-looking.” He mentioned that when he requested the kid the place his mother and father have been, the boy didn’t reply. As he tried to calm the boy, he mentioned he was in a position to flag one other couple to contact the police.
The person mentioned that he fed the boy crackers and juice, with the boy solely parroting these two phrases, “crackers” and “juice,” again at him. In any other case, the boy wouldn’t converse and didn’t give any indication of the place he had come from.
The boy was, nonetheless, in a position to inform police the place his residence was, which led to an much more stunning discovery. Police drove him residence and there spoke along with his mother and father, based on court docket paperwork seen by the Mirror. When requested if certainly one of their kids have been lacking, the Zungalis reportedly mentioned all of theirs have been accounted for.
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When requested how positive of that they have been, police reported that each mother and father left briefly earlier than returning to say that it seems one baby had gotten out by a window and crawled exterior with out their information whereas Zoe Zungali was cooking dinner.
As soon as inside the house, police described the “horrific circumstances,” as they detailed of their report. The boy’s bed room, they mentioned, appeared as if drywall had been ripped off of the partitions, exposing each electrical wires and insulation. In addition they famous a robust odor of urine and a child gate zip-tied in order to stop the door from opening. There have been home goods, they said, additionally barricading this gate.
When Dominic Zungali was requested if there have been another kids, he mentioned there have been youngsters ranging in age from 2 to five years previous, with three of them in a distinct bed room and the youngest in his and Zoe’s room, per the police affidavit.
As soon as the on-call caseworker with Baby, Youth and Households arrived, they and police made their approach all through the residence. They discovered Bem on the again door and requested her to step exterior. They noticed eliminated doorknobs and gates tied shut so doorways couldn’t be opened. In addition they mentioned the home had no operating water and there was animal feces all through the residing space, per WTAJ.
They discovered the Zungalis’ room, the place they noticed a crib with a small baby in it. Police reported that the kid was in dirty clothes, a soaked diaper, and in addition smelled strongly of urine. Within the crib with the kid have been objects described of their paperwork as dirty blankets, a moldy sippy cup, and a few toys.
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On the second bed room, police reported observing a door on its facet and a chair barricading entry. As soon as inside, they discovered three kids, one inside one other crib and the opposite two in what have been described as “makeshift cages” from further cribs.
They reported that “the cribs have been zip tied to stop the kids from exiting,” per court docket paperwork. These three kids have been additionally described as being in dirty clothes, soaked diapers and smelling of urine. Officers additionally reported feces smeared on the cribs’ exteriors.
The report states that the kids gave the impression to be malnourished and that there was little or no meals discovered contained in the residence. The kids have been supplied Completely satisfied Meals, per the affidavit, which they appeared to “aggressively eat out of starvation.”
Moreover, police discovered two cats, a rabbit, and a small canine laying in their very own waste and with out meals or water. Central Pennsylvania Humane Society Police Officer Paul Gutshall known as this “one other critical case of neglect and animal cruelty,” per the paperwork.
The youngest baby was noticed with what police described as a distended stomach with purple legs and toes, suggesting potential harm or accidents. EMS personnel responded to the scene and identified potential bowel obstruction, in addition to seen leg points. The kid was taken to an area hospital, and in the end UPMC Kids’s Hospital in Pittsburgh, for therapy.
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As they started to analyze the alleged residing scenario inside the house, police reported that they discovered the kids have been all allegedly positioned inside their respective cribs or “makeshift cages” every day. They have been allegedly allowed out every day between roughly 8 or 9 a.m. till lunchtime, throughout which they have been reportedly fed and had their diapers modified.
After that, they have been once more locked inside their cribs or “cages” till dinnertime, after they have been allowed out to eat earlier than going again in once more for the evening. Zoe Zungali mentioned they have been caged for about 12 hours per day, however Dominic Zungali advised police it was roughly 17 hours every day, and Bem mentioned the youngsters have been locked in as much as 20 hours a day.
“We’re very grateful to the police and first responders and the person who known as 911 that these kids are actually protected with the help of kids, youth and households,” mentioned Blair County District Legal professional Pete Weeks in a press release obtained by WTAJ.
“Definitely, everyone seems to be presumed harmless till confirmed responsible,” the assertion continued. “However, we take these expenses very severely on the district lawyer’s workplace, and we stay up for persevering with to work with the police and different first responders and CYF to totally prosecute the three people charged.”
The Zungalis are being held within the Blair County Jail on $150,000 bonds every, whereas Bem is being held there on $75,000 bail. They’re scheduled for preliminary hearings in court docket on July 31.
If you’re experiencing or witness baby abuse, name the Childhelp Nationwide Baby Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Baby or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. When you imagine a toddler is in fast hazard, name 911.
