14-Year -Old Found Living Alone in Deplorable Conditions For Almost a Year
By Rick McCann
Blue RAM Media/Gulf Coast News
January 9, 2026
MOBILE COUNTY, Ala. On January 4, 2026, MCSO was dispatched to the Dollar General at 3975 Jarrett Road concerning a 14-year-old female juvenile experiencing dizziness and stomach pain. An employee notified authorities after observing the juvenile stumbling down the road in front of Dollar General.
The juvenile was transported to a local hospital for evaluation and was interviewed by an MCSO Detective with the Child Advocacy Center. During the interview, the juvenile advised the detective that she had been living alone with her dogs at 3955 Jarrett Road since approximately February 2025, around the time of her birthday. She stated that her mother, MARCHELLE LYNN PERTILLA, and stepfather, EUGENE MEDRANO, live and work in Pensacola, Florida, and that the last time she saw them was October 31, 2025.
Communication was primarily through Snapchat, and the mother would send food via DoorDash or Walmart deliveries.
After being contacted by the hospital, PERTILLA and MEDRANO responded and were interviewed by MCSO Detectives. When asked why their daughter was left alone, the mother stated the juvenile did not want to leave her service animals.
MARCHELLE LYNN PERTILLA and EUGENE MEDRANO were subsequently arrested and charged with Child Abuse and transported to Metro Jail.
On January 5, 2026, MCSO executed a search warrant at the residence where the juvenile was living, 3955 Jarrett Road, Eight Mile, Alabama, assisted by Prichard Animal Control. The interior of the single-wide trailer was observed to be covered in urine, feces, roaches, trash, and various miscellaneous items.
A total of seven dogs were located on the property, with four found inside and one dog found deceased inside a closet. The dogs were taken by Prichard Animal Control. Detectives also recovered a handwritten letter from the juvenile’s sleeping area titled, “How many times mom tells me that she can’t pick me up!” which contained approximately 87 dash marks and was collected as evidence.
Sheriff Burch stated, “We are continuing to search for answers on why this young girl was living alone and whether or not others tried calling law enforcement.
Thank goodness for the employee with Dollar General who contacted the county and we were able to respond. If you see something, say something, it could mean the difference between life or death.”
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