A 39-year-old woman in Pennsboro, West Virginia, faces child neglect charges after her young children dialed emergency services because they could not wake her. Police reported that she smelled strongly of alcohol upon their arrival, and the home was in concerning condition. The incident highlights vulnerabilities in family welfare oversight.
On February 28, West Virginia State Police responded to a 911 call from the home of Delia Morlan in Pennsboro. The caller was one of Morlan's two children, aged 4 and 6, who informed the dispatcher that they were unable to rouse their mother. Emergency medical services and deputies from the Ritchie County Sheriff's Office also attended the scene, where they observed the family living in what authorities described as concerning conditions.
Troopers located Morlan at the residence and noted a strong odor of alcohol emanating from her. In another room, a first responder discovered one of the children using a bucket for urination, underscoring the immediate risks to the children's well-being. Morlan was taken into custody at the scene.
Court records indicate she was charged with two counts of gross neglect of a child, each creating a substantial risk of death or serious bodily injury. Additionally, she faces a separate misdemeanor charge for refusing to submit fingerprints to law enforcement. Following her arrest, Morlan was booked into the North Central Regional Jail in Greenwood, with bonds set at $25,000 for the neglect charges and $500 for the fingerprint violation. She remains detained as of the latest reports.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for March 11. Law enforcement has not yet disclosed the current placement of Morlan's children, despite inquiries from media outlets. This case draws attention to instances where young children must seek help independently during parental emergencies.