Four young children were found unclothed and covered in dirt inside a Pittsburgh home littered with trash, food scraps, and walls smeared with feces, according to police. Koreya Washington was detained and later taken into custody after the children were removed from the house on Tuesday afternoon.
Officials were called to the area of Shanley Manor Drive around 3 p.m. Tuesday after a report of an active assault in the area, according to WTAE. Authorities said they found nothing in the area connected to the reported assault, but the response led them to the home where the four children were discovered living in what police described as horrible conditions. Two of the children told police they were hungry, and the station reports that the home’s walls were covered in feces and other unknown dried liquids, with dirt, trash, and food scraps found on both the first and second floors. The children were taken to a hospital following their removal from the house.
Mother Blames Boyfriend, Alleges Domestic Violence
Washington told investigators she was a victim of domestic violence and alleged that her boyfriend did not allow her to leave the home or clean it, per the same report. She reportedly said her boyfriend was never home, and she claimed her children cry when she tries to clean. A social worker had attempted to provide Washington with resources, but police allege she declined them.
According to the criminal complaint cited by the outlet, Washington blamed everyone except herself for her situation. She reportedly stated that mothers who do not care for their children should face no consequences if they are victims of domestic violence. Witnesses at the scene refused to speak to authorities, the station notes. It remains unresolved whether the boyfriend Washington described faces any separate domestic violence or unlawful restraint charges, and the specific medical status of the children following their hospital evaluation has not been detailed.
Endangerment Charges and What Comes Next
Washington now faces four counts of endangering the welfare of children, one for each child found in the home. Under Pennsylvania law, child endangerment is generally graded as a first-degree misdemeanor punishable by up to five years in prison, but prosecutors can elevate the charge to a third-degree felony carrying up to seven years if they establish a course of conduct, according to Justia Law. A 2017 amendment to the statute allows the offense to reach a second-degree felony if the conduct is found to have created a substantial risk of death or serious bodily injury over time, per the Pennsylvania Commission on Sentencing…