A gut-wrenching case of alleged child abandonment has emerged from the United States, revealing the horrific conditions a teenage girl endured after her parents allegedly moved away and left her behind.
A Note That Tells a Tragic Story
Authorities were alerted to the situation in January 2026 after a shop worker, Jessica Smitherman, found the 14-year-old girl stumbling on a road. The witness reported the child was dishevelled, in pain, and smelled very bad. When police arrived, they discovered the girl was disorientated, dizzy, and had been living in unimaginable squalor.
The most poignant evidence was a heartbreaking handwritten note. The girl, who has special needs, had kept a tally on a scrappy piece of paper titled: “How many times mom tells me that she can’t pick me up.” The note contained 87 tally marks, a stark record of repeated pleas for help that were ignored.
A House of Horrors Left Behind
Investigators found the girl had been living alone in a house filled with urine, faeces, dirt, and cockroaches. She had been left to care for seven dogs, and a deceased dog was discovered in a wardrobe. Shocking pictures released by authorities show floors covered in waste and a bathtub full of hair.
Police established that the girl's mother, 43-year-old Marchelle Pertilla, and her 52-year-old stepfather, Eugene Medrano, had moved from their home in Alabama to another property approximately 90 kilometres away across the state border in Florida. The girl stated she had not seen her parents since October 31 and had been living alone since February 2025, maintaining contact with her mother only via Snapchat.
Charges Laid and Investigation Ongoing
When located, the parents claimed their daughter did not want to move with them. However, Mobile County Sheriff Paul Burch labelled the case “horrific.” Pertilla and Medrano now face child abuse charges. Sheriff Burch also revealed that two other children have been removed from the couple’s new home in Florida.
The case remains under investigation, with the parents scheduled to appear in court on January 27. The discovery has sparked widespread condemnation and highlighted severe failures in parental care.
