HARRISBURG, Pa. — Police have charged a man and woman in Harrisburg for reportedly forcing children to stay inside dirty dog crates as a form of punishment.
Debbie Meck, 59, and Scott Narvell, 62, are both charged with two felony counts of endangering the welfare of children, according to Lower Paxton Township Police.
Police stated in charging documents that they began investigating the duo in March when the children reported the alleged abuse to their foster parents, who contacted authorities.
In interviews with investigators, the children said they were kept in the crates when they were punished. The crates were sometimes filled with feces, the victims reported. They were forced to stay inside them for 30 minutes or an hour without food or water, according to police.
The home the children were living in, which is located on Dwight Avenue in Lower Paxton Township, was found to be unfit to live in, police said. Conditions inside the home were described as "unsanitary" and "deplorable" in charging documents, and the children were placed in foster as a result of it.
According to court documents, Narvell and Meck are free on bail, which was set at $75,000 each.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for June 27.
