A North Carolina couple faces felony charges for severely abusing their six children, including confining a 13-year-old boy in a dog kennel. Prosecutors described the case as among the worst they have seen, with the home so filthy that investigators needed protective gear. The children, aged 1 to 15, showed signs of extreme neglect and required medical intervention.
Lacy Douglas Hocutt Jr., 34, and Rachelleigh Marie Galasso, 33, were arrested this week in Wake County, North Carolina. Court records show Hocutt charged with nine counts of statutory rape of a female child, starting in 2017, while Galasso faces four counts of negligent child abuse resulting in serious bodily injury. The allegations surfaced after a February report led to an investigation and removal of the children from the home, according to WRAL and The News & Observer reports citing authorities. Prosecutors said a 13-year-old boy was found locked in a dog kennel, grossly underweight in a life-threatening condition, covered in feces, and suffering from an E. coli infection that needed immediate treatment. The residence was so unsanitary that Child Protective Services and sheriff's deputies wore protective gear upon entry, an assistant district attorney told the court Thursday. The boy now rocks back and forth, repeatedly yelling, 'You're never getting out,' which prosecutors believe were words screamed at him during confinement. Other children suffered severe dental problems, with two requiring removal of adult teeth and unable to chew solid food without pain; none had formal schooling and could not read or write. One teenage girl's scoliosis went untreated to the point it is now beyond surgical correction, leaving her with lifelong suffering. Both parents appeared in court Thursday, received public defenders, and remain held without bond. They are due back on April 23, with Hocutt facing a possible life sentence if convicted.