Marchelle Pertilla, 43, and Eugene Medrano, 52, were arrested in Alabama for child abuse and aggravated animal cruelty after allegedly leaving their 14-year-old daughter alone in a filthy Mobile County mobile home since February 2025, surrounded by seven dogs, one of which was found dead. The girl, discovered stumbling on Jarrett Road on January 4, 2026, by a Dollar General employee, reported dizziness and stomach pain, leading to her hospitalization where she revealed living without direct parental supervision, communicating via Snapchat and receiving DoorDash/Walmart deliveries. Authorities found the home infested with feces, urine, trash, insects, and roaches.
Neglect Details
The residence contained three dogs inside, three outside, and one deceased in a closet. A handwritten note titled “How many times mom tells me that she can’t pick me up” with 87 tally marks was discovered near the girl’s sleeping area, indicating repeated pleas for her mother’s return. Pertilla claimed the teen refused to leave her “service animals,” though this remains unverified.​
Arrest and Charges
Both face one count of child abuse and aggravated cruelty to animals; Pertilla has six additional counts of second-degree dog cruelty, Medrano five. They were located in Pensacola, Florida, where they lived and worked, and arrested after arriving at the hospital. Two other children were removed from their Florida home post-arrest.​
Sheriff Comments
Mobile County Sheriff Paul Burch called it a case of profound emotional and physical abuse, praising the store employee’s intervention. He noted ongoing probes into why no one else reported the situation and stressed parental responsibility.​
