PITCAIRN, Pa. — A woman is facing charges after police said her son with autism was found in poor health and living in deplorable conditions inside a Pitcairn home.
On Thursday at around 12:30 p.m., Pitcairn Police, along with the Allegheny County Department of Human Services and the Allegheny County Humane Society, served a search warrant on the home at 901 Jewel Way in relation to an ongoing animal complaint investigation.
Investigators said they found 18 dogs living in the home with feces and urine throughout.
During the search, police said they found a 35-year-old man who was naked and huddled in a second-floor closet. According to the criminal complaint, the man is autistic, partially blind, deaf and non-verbal.
Police said the man displayed difficulty walking and had poor control of his arms. When officers took him into the bathroom to cover up, he tried to drink water from the bathtub. Once exiting the home, police said the man grabbed a handful of dirt and put it in his mouth because of how hungry he was.
He was taken by ambulance to AHN Forbes Hospital.
The man’s mother, Bonnie Sue Schutzer, initially tried to hide from officers when they entered the home. She was arrested and charged with abuse of a care-dependent person, Neglect of a care-dependent person, recklessly endangering another person, and false imprisonment.
Allegheny County Police continue to investigate.
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