A 5-year-old boy escaped from a Pennsylvania home where he was allegedly kept in a feces-covered room for most of his life, prompting the arrest of three individuals identified as his guardians. The child was discovered wandering unclothed in the middle of a Swatara Township street around 7:30 a.m. on Friday, July 10, 2026.
Bystanders found the boy with only a green, urine-stained blanket and remained with him until first responders transported him to a local hospital for evaluation. State police located the boy's residence a few blocks away, uncovering what they described as a nightmarish environment. The home was in disarray, characterized by trash, swarms of flies, and clutter.
One bedroom, designated as the boy's, was secured with a baby gate on the door. According to police, multiple zip ties, duct tape, and wooden boards drilled from the outside of the door frame were used to prevent the child from leaving the room. Feces were smeared on the walls and windows, and a damaged bed was covered in food. Trash and children's toys littered the floor.
Authorities learned the boy spent approximately 90 percent of his time locked in this room, with his guardians providing food such as granola bars, cereal, juice, milk, and water through the baby gate slots. The three adults, Tucker Heagy, 20, Jade Shuey, 21, and Stephanie Schaffner, 42, reportedly bathed the child only once a week, sometimes with longer intervals between cleanings. Shuey told police the boy could be confined to the room for up to three days at a time, leading to him relieving himself inside.
Heagy admitted that to release the boy from the room, the adults had to cut five to 10 zip ties from the gates, which were then replaced with new ties and duct tape each time. The adults reportedly purchased zip ties in bulk due to their frequent use. The severe unsanitary conditions throughout the residence led town code enforcement to condemn the property.
Heagy, Shuey, and Schaffner were arrested and charged with one count of endangering the welfare of children.