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Parents of five children were arrested for allegedly confining them in a room described as a ‘dungeon,’ using surveillance cameras and dead bolts to ensure they couldn’t leave.
According to the Pennsylvania State Police, they responded to the home of James Russell, 65, and Carly Kahl, 41, in Redstone Township on August 8. This action came after Fayette County Children and Youth Services reported concerns about children living in ‘horrific conditions,’ as noted by KDKA.
Upon arrival, the officers discovered the children, aged between five and 14, confined to a bedroom with windows barricaded, walls smeared with feces, flea infestations, minimal access to food and clothing, and no beds available.
‘It’s sickening – that’s the only word that I can use to describe what we saw and what those children went through,’ Trooper Ally Wilson told WTAE.
A criminal complaint states that the father would lock the children in the room, securing the door from outside throughout the night and part of the daytime.
‘This room functioned as a dungeon, with video cameras hardwired to the father’s room,’ the complaint states.
In addition to the three deadbolt locks on the outside of the door, police said there was no door handle that would allow them to escape.
When questioned about this practice, James allegedly informed the troopers and a Children and Youth Services representative that he had no plans to remove the locks from the bedroom door, according to WPXI.
James Russell, 65, and Carly Kahl, 41, have been taken into custody for allegedly locking their five children in a room wired with cameras
State Trooper Ally Wilson said the situation inside the home was ‘sickening’
The children were then safely removed from the home, and placed in the care of Children and Youth Services.
In the weeks since, the children reportedly told authorities that their father smoked marijuana all day and would not care for them.
They also claimed that James made Carly pull a Taser on one of the children within the last two weeks.
When Pennsylvania State Police then conducted a search warrant on the home on Wednesday, they uncovered a stun gun, a replica pistol and drugs.
‘Well it appears that these children were basically held in captivity in this room,’ Fayette County District Attorney Mike Aubele told reporters.
‘Our investigation shows the presence of cameras connected to another room, where the children were monitored,’ he added. ‘Additionally, there’s absolutely no justification for using devices like a stun gun against a child.’
The District Attorney went on to thank the ‘brave family member’ who reported the ‘deplorable conditions’ to the state’s ChildLine system.
‘Law enforcement cannot be in every household and every single minute of every day; we need people to come forward and think of these children.’
Police say the children were sequestered to a bedroom with boarded-up windows, feces covering the walls, fleas, a limited amount of food and clothing and no beds inside the Redstone Township home
The Kahls are now charged with endangering the welfare of children, aggravated assault, reckless endangerment, use of an incapacitation device and drug charges.
Bail has been denied for both of the parents, according to court documents obtained by Daily Mail.
They show that James Russell has had a series of run-ins with the law in the past, including a harassment charge he pleaded guilty to in 2006.
That same year, he was also arrested for driving under the influence, and in 2012 he was charged with a probation violation.
Trooper Wilson said she now hopes ‘that these parents go to jail and they answer for what they’ve done.’
