Trigger Warning: This article mentions animal cruelty. Reader discretion is strongly advised.
An Alabama couple was arrested for letting their 14-year-old daughter live alone with a dead dog in the house. Marchelle Pertilla and her husband Eugene Medrano were arrested by the Alabama police on January 4, 2026. The young girl’s name remains anonymous to protect her privacy.
The 14-year-old was discovered by a Dollar General store employee, Jessica Smitherman, after she was found wandering alone on Jarrett Street. According to CBS-affiliated WKRG, the girl complained of dizziness and stomach pain. Smitherman recalled the young girl’s state, which prompted her to make the 911 call. This ultimately led to the arrest of her mother and stepfather.
⚠️ WARNING: This post contains descriptions of child neglect, emotional abuse, and animal cruelty.
An Alabama couple has been arrested after allegedly leaving a 14-year-old girl to live alone for nearly a year in a mobile home filled with trash and animal waste. Marchelle… pic.twitter.com/lA0xVCNoVo
— True Crime Updates (@TrueCrimeUpdat) January 11, 2026
Per the employee, the young girl was covered in dog hair and had reportedly not bathed. Smitherman said, “She smelled very bad…So I knew she needed some kind of help.” Shortly after, the girl was rushed to the nearest hospital, where she was given medical attention.
Local authorities who investigated learned the 14-year-old had been left all alone for months. In addition to neglect, she was given the responsibility of seven dogs. Out of the seven, three lived outside, and four lived in the house with the girl.
Police immediately rushed to the house to investigate and found horrible, inhumane living conditions, including a dead dog. Sheriff Paul Burch described the mobile home in which the 14-year-old lived. Sheriff Burch claimed the living conditions were “deplorable” and that no human or animal should be living like that. About the case itself, Sheriff Burch had but one word to describe it: “Horrible.”
Teen Found Living Alone for Months After Parents Moved Out of State, Deputies Say
Authorities in Mobile County, Alabama say a 14-year-old girl was left to live alone for nearly a year after her mother and stepfather moved out of state, leaving her behind in a mobile home with… pic.twitter.com/icOaVYICYF
— Crime With Bobby (@CrimeWithBobby) January 9, 2026
Pictures obtained by the publication featured several rooms that were littered with dog poop, possibly toxic water in the bathroom, dead insects, and filth everywhere. While they explored this house of horrors, Alabama officials came across a note.
The note revealed the number of times her mother had failed to pick her up from school: 87 times. In addition, they also uncovered the body of a dead dog in a closet in the home. This greatly contributed to the rancid smell in the Yellowhammer mobile home.
Sheriff Burch empathized with the 14-year-old who seemingly just wanted her mother’s love and attention. The Alabama official said, “I can’t imagine the emotional part of just knowing your parents would leave you to fend for yourself…”
NEW: 14-year-old special needs girl found living alone with seven dogs, one dead
This poor little girl wrote a handwritten letter titled “How many times mom tells me that she can’t pick me up!” and marked it 87 times
Alabama deputies responded to Dollar General for a… pic.twitter.com/JBJ3CABAEY
— Unlimited L’s (@unlimited_ls) January 11, 2026
According to Law & Crime, her parents would send groceries through DoorDash or Walmart delivery services. After the young girl was taken to the hospital, her parents were immediately notified and called. Upon their arrival, the police questioned them about their whereabouts. Pertilla and Medrano were reportedly living in Pensacola.
When asked about their juvenile’s living situation, Pertilla claimed that her daughter refused to part with the dogs. According to NBC-affiliate WEAR, the 14-year-old communicated with her mother mainly through Snapchat.
For their crime, 43-year-old Pertilla and 52-year-old Medrano were arrested and charged with one count each of child abuse and one count of aggravated cruelty to animals. Pertilla was charged with second-degree dog cruelty. Medrano was charged with five counts of second-degree dog cruelty.
