Police found a child locked in a dog cage in a Philadelphia home Thursday afternoon, after responding to reports of screaming.
The Philadelphia Police Department arrived on the scene at Glenview Street around 1 p.m., and first located two children aged 3 and 5, crying and wandering around the back of the residence, reports NBC News.
When they ventured inside the home, police discovered a 6-year-old boy, naked, trapped inside a dog cage which was locked using a zip tie.
All three children were taken to nearby St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children for evaluation. Their conditions are currently unknown.
The children’s parents, Michelle Campbell, 30, and Paul Weber, 31, were arrested and charged with endangering the welfare of a child and recklessly endangering a person, the police said in a statement.
It’s not yet known how long the child had been in the cage, but it appears this wasn’t the first time.
CBS Philadelphia reports the boy’s mother had previously left him naked with just a pillow and blanket when she’d gone out, with police adding she would often lock the 6-year-old in the dog cage when she left home.
Police also reported finding an elderly woman in a wheelchair inside the home, along with a 40-year-old man. The two identified themselves as the children’s grandmother and uncle, respectively.
There were five children total living inside the home, but two were at school when police arrived on the scene.
“It just boggles my mind they put their kids in cages,” said Hector Perez, who lives in a neighboring house on Glenview Street.