A neighbor heard screaming and called police. What officers found inside stunned even veteran detectives.
A 6-year-old boy was found locked inside a dog cage in a Philadelphia home on March 23, 2023, after his mother and her partner were arrested and charged with child endangerment.
A Neighbor's Call
A concerned neighbor in Philadelphia's Tacony neighborhood called police around 1 p.m. that Thursday after hearing screaming coming from a home on Glenview Street. When officers arrived, they found two young girls, ages 3 and 5, wandering outside in the rain, partially dressed.
What Officers Found Inside
After bringing the girls to safety, officers entered the home and found a 6-year-old boy locked inside a dog cage, secured shut with a zip tie. Police said the boy had been left inside naked, with only a pillow and blanket, and that his mother had reportedly locked him in the cage on other occasions when she left the home. Also inside the home were an elderly woman in a wheelchair, believed to be the children's grandmother, and a man in his 40s, believed to be an uncle; both the boy and the uncle reportedly have intellectual disabilities. Five children in total were living at the residence; two others were at school at the time.
Charges Filed
Michelle Campbell, 30, and Paul Weber, 31, the boy's parents, were charged with endangering the welfare of a child and recklessly endangering a person. All three children were taken to St. Christopher's Hospital for Children for evaluation. A neighbor told reporters the city's Department of Human Services had visited the home before.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many children were living in the home?
Five, including the 6-year-old boy found in the cage and his two younger sisters, who were found outside in the rain.
Who else was found inside the home?
An elderly woman believed to be the children's grandmother and a man in his 40s believed to be an uncle, both of whom were not charged.
Had authorities been involved with this family before?
A neighbor told reporters the city's Department of Human Services had previously visited the home, though the extent of prior involvement wasn't detailed in public reporting.