6-year-old was locked in dog cage and tortured, PA officials say. Mom to be sentenced
.png "A Pennsylvania woman is accused of abusing and torturing her 6-year-old daughter. She is now scheduled to be sentenced.")
A Pennsylvania woman is scheduled to be sentenced after officials say she severely abused and tortured her 6-year-old daughter.
Authorities in Brownsville Borough were called for reports of an unresponsive 6-year-old, according to a Feb. 6 news release from the Pennsylvania State Police, McClatchy News previously reported.
Officials spoke with children at the home and were told that the 6-year-old girl had been zip-tied, kept in a dog crate and beaten. The home was also found in deplorable conditions with dog feces, according to troopers.
“The 6-year-old child was left in this cage naked without food. She would be punished if she was able to escape that cage to go get food. And to make matters worse, there’s evidence that at least a few of these children may have participated in the abuse with the parents,” Fayette County District Attorney Mike Aubele told WTAE.
The girl’s mother and father were arrested on Feb. 6. The girl’s mother was facing 156 charges including unlawful restraint of a minor, aggravated assault and strangulation, court records show.
McClatchy News is not naming the mother or father to protect the identity of the children involved.
Aubele told WTAE there were six children living in the house, between the ages of 5 and 17 years old, however, the 6-year-old was the only one targeted with the abuse.
The mother was set to go to trial but instead pleaded guilty to 155 charges, the Fayette County District Attorney’s Office told KDKA.
Assistant District Attorney Michelle Kelley told the news outlet this is the worst case of child abuse she has seen, but added that the girl is now doing much better.
“I was so happy when I saw a picture of her now. She’s living the life she deserves right now. She’s a happy, healthy little girl and we are so happy for her,” she told the outlet.
The mother is set to be sentenced on Dec. 10. The girl’s father faces 11 charges and is set for trial Jan. 6.
This story was originally published December 4, 2024 at 2:01 PM with the headline "6-year-old was locked in dog cage and tortured, PA officials say. Mom to be sentenced."
