Couple neglects children, faces serious charges in Pennsylvania
- Children were found living in deplorable conditions by a case worker, with evidence of neglect including soiled diapers and injuries.
- Additional allegations of providing alcohol to minors surfaced, resulting in criminal charges against the parents.
- These cases underline the urgent need for improved child protection practices in Pennsylvania.
In Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, a couple, Robert Conklin Jr. and Erin Pitts, was charged after authorities discovered their young children living in severely neglected conditions. On October 4, a children and youth services worker found their 4-year-old twins and 2-year-old daughter in a home filled with filth. The twins were trapped in a room with feces and trash, wearing soiled diapers, while the toddler was confined in a pack-and-play with signs of potential injury. This shocking situation was reported alongside allegations that Conklin had previously given whiskey to one of the twins. In subsequent visits, evidence of further neglect, such as bruises on the toddler, led to a hospital visit, amplifying previous complaints about the family's poor treatment of the children. Civil and criminal complaints against the couple grew after a troubling social media post by Conklin displayed him pouring alcohol into a child's mouth. The charges include three counts of endangering the welfare of children, and Conklin faces an additional charge of corruption of minors. The disheartening nature of these events reflects a serious lapse in parental care. Meanwhile, another case from Lehigh County has emerged, involving a couple who has been charged with multiple counts of child abuse related to their twin 15-year-old sons. They were found to be suffering from severe malnutrition and other health issues, reportedly enduring physical and emotional abuse for over two years at the hands of their mother, Tracy Dechant, and stepfather, Joshua Dechant. The boys had been kept out of traditional schooling, indicating an environment of confinement and deep neglect. Evidence provided by the district attorney showcased the conditions the boys endured, leading to their eventual hospitalization. They are now recovering under the care of family members. The severity of these cases highlights systemic issues regarding child welfare and the measures taken to protect vulnerable children in dangerous home environments.