A 14-year-old girl with special educational needs was found in medical distress outside a Dollar General store in southern Alabama earlier this month after living alone for almost a year, according to local law enforcement. The discovery led to a child abuse investigation and the arrest of her mother and stepfather.
Deputies were called after store employees reported seeing the teenager stumbling along a road near the shop in Mobile County. Officers said she appeared disoriented and unwell and was taken to hospital for treatment.
Authorities later said the girl had been left without in-person adult supervision since February 2025, when her mother and stepfather moved to Florida, leaving her alone in a mobile home under unsanitary and hazardous conditions.
Teenager Found in Medical Distress
According to the Mobile County Sheriff's Office, the investigation began on 10 January when staff at the Dollar General store in Robertsdale contacted police after noticing the teenager struggling to walk.
Responding deputies said the girl was experiencing dizziness and stomach pain. Emergency medical services transported her to hospital, where detectives interviewed her once her condition had stabilised.
During the interview, the teenager said she had been living alone in the mobile home since around her 14th birthday. She told officers her mother, Marchelle Lynn Pertilla, and stepfather, Eugene Medrano, had moved to Pensacola, Florida, and that the last time she saw them in person was 31 October.
Living Conditions and Care
The girl told investigators that contact with her parents was largely maintained through social media messaging. She said food was sometimes delivered to the home through third-party services, including supermarket and takeaway deliveries, but that she received no direct supervision or in-person care.
Detectives later executed a search warrant at the property, where they found conditions described by authorities as severely unsanitary. The interior of the single-wide trailer was covered with urine, faeces, roaches and rubbish, according to the sheriff's office.
Seven dogs were found alive inside the home, several showing signs of neglect such as weight loss and untreated skin conditions. One dog was discovered dead inside a cupboard and appeared to have been deceased for an extended period. The surviving animals were removed by Prichard Animal Control.
Investigators also recovered a handwritten note from the girl's bedroom titled 'How many times mom tells me that she can't pick me up!' The note contained 87 tally marks and was retained as evidence.
Arrests, Charges, and Investigation
Authorities later located Pertilla, 43, and Medrano, 52, and questioned them about the circumstances. The sheriff's office said Pertilla claimed her daughter did not want to leave her animals, although it was unclear whether any of the dogs were trained service animals.
Both adults were arrested and charged with child abuse and animal cruelty and were taken to the Mobile County Metro Jail. Additional charges related to abandonment and neglect are under review, according to officials.
The teenager has been placed in protective care under the supervision of child welfare authorities.
NEW: 14-year-old special needs girl found living alone with seven dogs, one dead
— Unlimited L's (@unlimited_ls) January 11, 2026
This poor little girl wrote a handwritten letter titled “How many times mom tells me that she can’t pick me up!” and marked it 87 times
Alabama deputies responded to Dollar General for a… pic.twitter.com/JBJ3CABAEY
Mobile County Sheriff Paul Burch praised the Dollar General employees who alerted authorities and said investigators were continuing to examine whether others were aware of the girl's living conditions or had previously contacted law enforcement.
Officials said the investigation remains ongoing.
