Pennsylvania Woman Charged After Autistic Son Found in Closet

“I believe my officers have witnessed a horrific scene today,” said Pitcairn Chief Scott Farally.

Police in Pennsylvania have charged a woman with felony counts after discovering her 35-year-old son, who has autism, naked and in poor health inside a closet, ABC7 Chicago reported.

Bonnie Schutzer faces charges including false imprisonment, neglect, and abuse of care for a dependent person, according to a criminal complaint. The discovery occurred when officers entered a home in Pitcairn to serve a search warrant, a move prompted by reports of dogs in poor health and neighbors hearing screaming from within the residence.

The conditions inside the home were described by local law enforcement as deplorable. Chief Farally stated that officers encountered feces and urine on the floor, noting they were initially unsure if the waste was human or animal. The structure itself was visibly falling apart and surrounded by debris.

The victim, who is non-verbal and partially blind and deaf, was found in a closet estimated to be roughly 6 feet by 6 feet. Officials noted indicative signs that the man may have lived inside that small space. The physical toll of his confinement was immediately apparent to those on the scene.

Woman charged after adult son with autism found huddled naked in closet in deplorable conditions — CBS Pittsburgh

According to the criminal complaint, the man had difficulty walking and possessed poor control over his arms. The level of his deprivation was highlighted by a harrowing detail: once he was removed from the house, he reached for the ground, grabbed a handful of dirt, and placed it in his mouth due to his extreme hunger.

Neighbors had long been aware of something wrong behind the walls of the home on Jewell Way. Chantai Howard, who has lived across the street for nearly a decade, said she had not seen the man in about ten years.

“You could hear him making noises, that’s about it, and you could hear them yelling at him,” Howard told ABC7 Chicago. “You could hear banging.”

Howard added that it was “about time” Schutzer was taken into custody. While she acknowledged the responsibility of a parent to care for her child, she suggested the investigation might need to look further. “I know that’s her son and she should’ve been taking care of him, but I don’t think she’s the only person that needs to pay,” Howard said.

The search warrant was executed after authorities spoke with neighbors and heard screaming. During the sweep of the residence, police discovered 18 dogs living in the home. The presence of the animals was the original catalyst for the police response, following reports regarding their health.

The investigation has since expanded beyond the local Pitcairn Police Department. The Allegheny County Police Department is now handling the majority of the case. One detail remains a focus for investigators: the whereabouts of Schutzer’s boyfriend, who frequently spends time at the house but was not present when the search warrant was served.

The living conditions were so severe that the home has been declared unsafe for occupancy. For the officers involved, the nature of the call was particularly taxing. Chief Farally noted that while law enforcement officers see difficult things daily, the specific vulnerability of the victim made this encounter uniquely devastating.

“We have an autistic intellectual man that can’t fend for himself, and to go there and have to remove him from the residence and take him, just lets you know what the officers see every day and it’s just, it’s sad,” Farally said.

Worth a look