Five children have been rescued after their parents allegedly forced them to live in a dungeon-like bedroom at their Pennsylvania home.
Parents James Russell Kahl, 65, and Carly Kahl, 41, were arrested and charged after a relative alerted authorities to the shocking living conditions on August 8.
Authorities say the children were kept in a bedroom that served as a “dungeon,” with boarded-up windows, which had a camera feed going directly to their father’s room.
Highlights
- Five children were found living in a dungeon-like room covered in feces and fleas with boarded-up windows in Pennsylvania.
- Parents James and Carly Kahl were arrested after a relative reported the children's deplorable living conditions.
- The children had no beds, were locked behind a door with three deadbolts, and were monitored by a camera feed to the father's room.
- Authorities found drugs, a stun gun, and evidence one child was tasered as punishment by the father ordering the mother.
- Both parents face multiple charges and are held without bail; the children are now in youth services care for recovery.
James and Carly Kahl are facing a slew of charges
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The bedroom had no beds for the children, aged between five and 14, to sleep on, and was covered in feces and even had fleas.
Three deadbolts were found on the outside of the door and there was no handle the children could use to escape, police said.
Pennsylvania State Police were initially called to the home last month to assist Fayette County Children and Youth Services following the complaint.
Troopers returned this week to carry out a search warrant at the property in Redstone Township and arrested the couple.
Ally Wilson of Pennsylvania State Police described the shocking condition of the home to reporters gathered outside the property.
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“There were feces on the wall, there was a lack of food, there were no beds, there were fleas. It was deplorable,” she said.
“It’s sickening, that’s the only words that I can use to describe what we say and what those children went through.”
KDKA News reported that one of the children living in the home had severe developmental issues.
After carrying out the search warrant Wednesday, troopers found a stun gun, a replica pistol, a surveillance camera, drugs, and drug paraphernalia.
According to a criminal complaint obtained by outlet WPXI, one of the children was recently tasered as part of a punishment.
It further stated that the father neglected the children so he could smoke marijuana during the day and that he ordered the mother to taser one of the kids.
They are being held without bail
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All of the children are now in the care of youth services.
“Based on what I’ve seen, there’s gonna be a long process. I won’t speak directly to the children, but I can’t imagine living in a household like what we saw,” Fayette County District Attorney Mike Aubele told reporters.
“We are very, very happy that a family member was willing to come forward and report this to us,” he added.
“We are very happy with our Children and Youth Services, who removed these children, and our Belle Vernon state police that continued this investigation long after the children were removed to make the arrest that they did today.”
“Law enforcement cannot be in every household and every single minute of every day; we need people to come forward and think of these children.”
Court records show that both parents face charges of endangering the welfare of children, aggravated assault, reckless endangerment, and drug possession.
They are being held without bail.