Mary Heller, 64, was arrested and charged with three felony counts of neglect of a dependent in Decatur, Indiana
An Indiana woman accused of keeping two girls confined at a home for years allegedly failed to educate the now teenage youths, who told authorities their mother ‘gave up on (them) a long time ago.’
Mary Heller, 64, was arrested and charged with three felony counts of neglect of a dependent after authorities found her two teen girls living in deplorable conditions without food in a home in the 1000 block of Twin Lakes Drive in Decatur,WANE reported.
Court documents say police found the girls emaciated and pale when officers arrived at their filthy Decatur home in January.
A woman, who has not been publicly identified, told authorities that the girls’ cousin had asked her and another woman to check on the girls, whose names have not been released.
When they went to the residence, one of the girls answered the door and appeared ‘very skinny, having a pale looking complexion, greasy long black hair, and her lips were dry and cracked,’ according to the affidavit.
The woman said the home had a ‘foul, strong odor,’ according to the affidavit.
They took the two teens to McDonald’s and the girls had ‘had no clue as to how to order or what they wanted,’ the affidavit said.
Heller is accused of keeping two girls confined at home (above) for years and allegedly failed to educate the now teenage youths, who told authorities their mother ‘gave up on (them) a long time ago’
They also had ‘no social skills’, and indicated they do not eat very much, the affidavit said.
After they finished eating, the women took the two teens to a nearby Walmart to purchase basic food items.
According to the affidavit, while inside, one of the girls said: ‘I always dreamed of this, going to the store.’
The next day, Heller called 911 saying she was unable to get up from the bathroom floor for ‘approximately 20 hours.’
While inside the home, medics reported that it smelled like ‘rotting flesh,’ the affidavit said.
In addition, a medic recalled in the affidavit that one of the teens appeared ‘skinny and dirty looking’.
The teens told officers their mother only allowed them outside to get the mail or newspapers and pulled them from school years ago.
A psychologist found that the sisters suffered psychological trauma from ‘neglect and isolation.’
Heller was released on bond last week after a judge entered a not guilty plea on her behalf. A telephone listing for the woman rang unanswered Monday.
The girls were placed into the custody of Child Protective Services.