PA - Crystal and Shane Robertson charged with keeping 7 uneducated children in filthy conditions, Sellersville, May 26, 2023

[mickey2942]

Parents are likely drug addicts, would be my guess. Those poor children. Recover and live a normal life? Not likely, in my opinion, but possible. The human spirit is resilient, IMO.

Educational neglect is huge, and social deficits. There are specific ages developmentally, where if you pass that stage, catching up is almost impossible.

 

[Ebon]

Apparently some people seem to think using birth control is too much of a burden?

(Worked well at the Laughing homestead if that's not TMI.)

jmho ymmv lrr

It's possible they were receiving government child welfare benefits for additional children and pocketing the cash to fund their drug habits.

 

[doublestop]

Mom in extreme abuse case called her 7 uneducated kids 'garbage disposals with legs': Affidavit

What police allegedly discovered at the couple's Pennsylvania home is the stuff of nightmares.

lawandcrime.com

Married parents in Pennsylvania face numerous felony child endangerment charges after cops showed up at their home in April in response to concerns that two children were spotted entering an abandoned trailer and taking items. What police allegedly discovered afterwards at that trailer park home in Sellersville is the stuff of nightmares.

The parents look enough alike they could pass for siblings.

 

[ClaireNC]

The parents look enough alike they could pass for siblings.

Yes they certainly do. I’m not seeing the sickly look that addicts often have. Wonder if there is more to the story…like an inbred family and generational abuse. One article mentioned that they were only living in that trailer for 18 months, was the place they lived in previously just as bad?

 

[worm]

And I’m a “slob” because of a few dirty dishes and clothes.

 

[MyJoey]

I’m baffled they could post bail! Where is the extended family, I wonder. No one knew this was going on? So heartbreaking for the children, I can’t imagine the fear they must have being in foster care, even though the conditions are 100 percent better! Hopefully a few are together.

 

[PromotedPawn]

And I’m a “slob” because of a few dirty dishes and clothes.

I'm missing something here. Please fill me in.

 

[worm]

I'm missing something here. Please fill me in.

I have a neat freak sister and I do admire it, but I can live with a few clothes on the bathroom floor.

 

[aThousandYearsWide]

From the article above @doublestop posted,
"Investigators found “two dogs, two turtles, two rabbits, snakes, toads, and a four-foot reptile known as a Tegu inside the home, along with the approximately two dozen rats,” documents said."

Most of these pets require specific conditions in their tanks (heat lamps, humidity, hides, heating pads, etc), especially the reptiles, that can get quite costly and they also have expensive diets. The tegu in particular is the size of a house cat/small dog and likely are expensive to feed. They are costly to purchase as well since they are an exotic creature. A question I have is what was the conditions of the animal's health? Were their tanks unkempt like the rest of the home? The rats were likely bred to feed the snakes and the children claimed them as pets. I've personally had rats as pets and they are extremely sweet! Dogs also are fairly expensive pets, but I doubt they were taken to the vet regularly or on heartworm/flea prevention, etc. Food alone for dogs is costly depending the size of the dogs.

Source: owner of two snakes and also worked in veterinary.

Reason I bring this up is I wonder if their expenses went to the animals first (instead of their children!! Upsetting!) since they have so many high maintenance species. Animal hoarding situation? I don't understand how it even gets to this point. Like, There is also a law in my state (North Carolina) where if you own a certain number of Reptiles (6 if I remember correctly) you have to get a permit. I wonder if PA has any similar laws. I also wonder how they got away for so long without getting fined or arrested for school truancy. What about family? Friends? The children having social anxiety made me sad. Seems they have been isolated most of their lives. I hope they are in a loving foster home. I also hope the animals got adopted into loving homes as well. One of my snakes was a rescue from a hoarding situation.

 

[mickey2942]

I have a neat freak sister and I do admire it, but I can live with a few clothes on the bathroom floor.

I grew up with a hoarder parent, and I have a high tolerance for clutter. I have walked into homes that other people would have been horrified by...but if the children and animals are taken care of, there is a place to have basic hygiene in the house, and there are no sign of bugs, feces, I am going to say, that it is okay.

I have actually advocated for a lot of people who have homes that are extreme hoarding situations. Sure, it isn't "normal". But if no one is abused or neglected my opinion is that CPS is not the "messy house" police.

This situation though, was different. The children were neglected, that is the problem.

 

[worm]

I grew up with a hoarder parent, and I have a high tolerance for clutter. I have walked into homes that other people would have been horrified by...but if the children and animals are taken care of, there is a place to have basic hygiene in the house, and there are no sign of bugs, feces, I am going to say, that it is okay.

I have actually advocated for a lot of people who have homes that are extreme hoarding situations. Sure, it isn't "normal". But if no one is abused or neglected my opinion is that CPS is not the "messy house" police.

This situation though, was different. The children were neglected, that is the problem.

My now retired cop friend was always critical of the social services people and often told me that an immaculate home wasn’t the law. He said that he looked for basics like food, power, and running water. He didn’t like the idea of snatching children because everybody isn’t neat and tidy. I certainly agree that this situation is way too much.

 

[Lyanna]

My now retired cop friend was always critical of the social services people and often told me that an immaculate home wasn’t the law. He said that he looked for basics like food, power, and running water. He didn’t like the idea of snatching children because everybody isn’t neat and tidy. I certainly agree that this situation is way too much.

Your cop friend is right. There's far more important things than tidiness in this world, and money and a tidy house can hide some horrendous secrets too - jmo
You are right too - this situation is way too much and on so many more levels than a tidy home - failure to attend to medical issues - denying them the chance to live pain free, failure to educate/school the children - denying them the opportunity of a bright future, withholding food by locking the fridge

Will these cases ever stop?


All moo

 

[vls12345]

I am disturbed and upset over this. This is at least the third case I can immediately think of where it is claimed that the child(ren) is/are "stealing food". No. The parents are starving them.

 

[musicaljoke]

I am disturbed and upset over this. This is at least the third case I can immediately think of where it is claimed that the child(ren) is/are "stealing food". No. The parents are starving them.

The parents look like they've never missed a meal.

 

[Gemmie]

Why, WHY did this woman continue having children?

SBMFF

Funny you should ask that. I had Googled for the closest Planned Parenthood to Sellersville before I even saw your post. Anyone who calls their children "garbage disposals with legs" (is how she described the children to police.) really should figure out the whole birth control thing. It's obvious she preferred rats & reptiles to children. And 7 kids is just way too many IMO. Even if you're a bazillionaire. Again... JMO.

Bucks County parents of 7 charged. Sick kids living in filth, with rats, no food, police say

Pennridge Regional Police were called to a Sellersville mobile home park for a theft report. The found 7 children living in inhabitable conditions.

www.phillyburbs.com

 

[Laughing]

It's possible they were receiving government child welfare benefits for additional children and pocketing the cash to fund their drug habits.

SNAP Benefits (food stamps) are based on the number of the adults & children in a household, but TANF/cash grant is no longer based on the size of the household.

I worked at Social Services back in the '90s when the system switched from AFDC (Aid to Families with Dependent Children) which did have a per-child amount to TANF (Temporary Assistance to Needy Families) which is the same for all families.

The children are likely eligible for state-provided medical insurance (actually required btw) but the parents must apply & re-certify.

I doubt those kids saw a doctor or dentist.

I expect the parent imho know which food pantries ask the fewest questions jmho.

Sad, sad, sad. Therapy all around for the youngsters....

 

[Gloomy Bear]

Yes, obviously they were NOT using much welfare at all, were they? Otherwise their children would be in much better shape.

So glad to see more people pointing out these patterns in "homeschooling." I am a former homeschooler myself, my family has been in the community for decades. It can be really wonderful when done right. But MOST states barely have any regulations for homeschoolers, and even the ones that do have little, if any, actual enforcement. This is all done in the name of "parents' rights" but what about the children's rights? Some homeschool parents like to screech their privacy would be violated if the state required their children to regularly come into contact with mandatory reporters. Well, with those lack of laws, comes the ability for criminals to cry "homeschool!" when the local public school reports them for abuse, then they can disappear their children forever if no one else raises a stink about it. So many children suffer. Even felons convicted of CSA crimes in most (all?) states are legally allowed to homeschool children. Isn't that crazy?!?! Just something to think about as you keep reading news story after news story of criminals using "homeschooling" as a loophole to do their dirty deeds. And these are only the extreme cases and the ones who get caught....

I pray these innocent children and innocent teens go on to have luckier lives and can find some amount of healing from this lifelong trauma.

 

[LaborDayRN]

The parents look enough alike they could pass for siblings.

I didn't want to say it but I was thinking the same thing......

 

[LadyL]

I don't think they look alike at all. Different face shape, different eye shape, different nose, different lips, even different ears. The only thing I see that's similar is eye color and even so, hers are more gray and his are more blue.

 

[evilwise]

As long as they had TV the whole time I expect they'll ultimately be able to join society. I just hope there's a funded program available to them for the years it's going to take.