A woman is facing charges after police said they found her children living in a home with drugs, little food and a wild animal upstairs.
Melanie Gigliotti, of New Kensington, is charged with child endangerment.
Police initially went to Gigliotti’s house on Freeport Road for a domestic call and found her “disoriented” and “staggering” outside, according to a criminal complaint. When they went inside, they said they found heroin on the coffee table in reach of the children.
A space heater, which was plugged into a neighbor's home with an extension cord, was the only source of heat at the home, police said. There was no electricity or water, according to police.
Police said the children were not dressed for the 49-degree weather inside the home and were eating uncooked ramen noodle packets.
The children were digging through dirty clothes to find warm clothes, according to police.
Police said a raccoon was spotted upstairs.
About the Author
