5 Children Allegedly Locked in ‘Dungeon’ with Boarded Walls in ‘Deplorable Living Conditions’, Couple Arrested

A couple was charged after Pennsylvania State Police allegedly found five children in “deplorable living conditions” in a Redstone Township, Penn. home.

James Russell Kahl, 65, and Carly Kahl, 41, were charged with endangering the welfare of a child, aggravated assault, and reckless endangerment, per CBS affiliate KDKA.

Police were initially called to the home on Aug. 8 to help Fayette County Children and Youth Services after there was a report that children were living there in “deplorable conditions,” per court documents cited by KDKA. Authorities allegedly found the couple’s five children living in a home along Willis Avenue with no beds, boarded-up windows, feces on bedroom walls, fleas and a limited supply of clothing and food.

“It is sickening. That is the only word to describe it. It’s sickening,” Trooper Ally Wilson told the outlet.

The children were between the ages of 5 and 14, local outlet WTAE reported. “This room functioned as a dungeon with video camera hardwired to the father’s room,” police alleged.

“I can’t imagine living in a household like what we saw,” Fayette County District Attorney Mike Aubele said, per WPXI.

Authorities alleged the room functioned as a “dungeon,” with video cameras hardwired to the father’s room. Troopers also found three deadbolt locks on the outside of the door and no door handle, which left the children trapped in the room.

The Kahls were arrested on Wednesday when a search warrant was served, KDHA reports. Police allegedly found a stun gun, a replica pistol, a surveillance camera, drugs and drug paraphernalia.

The children were safely removed from the household and placed into the care of Child and Youth Services (CYS), KDKA reported.

“We are very, very happy that a family member was willing to come forward and report this to us. We are very happy with our Children and Youth Services, who removed these children, and our Belle Vernon state police, that continued this investigation long after the children were removed to make the arrest that they did today,” Aubele said, according to KDKA.

PEOPLE has reached out to the Pennsylvania State Police for comment.

If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.