Two parents from Nevada have pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor child neglect charge after it was revealed that they had kept their 11-year-old son, who has autism, confined in an enclosure resembling a jail cell for six years. The case came to light when a truancy officer visited the family’s home after the boy had missed school for over a week. Upon arrival, the officer noticed a child’s screams and rattling from inside the house but received no answer when knocking. After about 40 minutes, the father, Jeffery Scanlan, opened the door and claimed that his children had been absent due to illness. When the officer requested to check on the children, Scanlan allowed him to enter.
Inside, the officer discovered a large, metal-barred enclosure in the living room, which was locked and contained the boy, who was wearing only a diaper. The enclosure was filthy, with feces on the floor and walls. Misty Scanlan, the boy’s mother, explained that she had stopped cleaning the enclosure three weeks earlier because they had been “extremely busy.” The boy, identified by his father as having severe autism spectrum disorder, was found in a disturbing condition. The house itself was in disarray, reeking of feces, with trash scattered throughout, holes in the walls, and feces smeared on the floors.
In addition to the boy found in the enclosure, the officer noted that three other children were also inside the home. One child had to be hospitalized, while the others were placed in the care of Child Protective Services (CPS) and relocated to family members. The report also revealed that the parents had taken extreme measures to manage their children’s behavior. The couple admitted to locking their daughter, who also has autism, in her room at bedtime and even used duct tape to seal her shirt to her diaper to prevent her from smearing feces.
When questioned about why they had not sought professional help, the parents expressed that they did not know where to begin or were unwilling to invite strangers into their home. However, the police report made it clear that despite the couple’s claims of doing the best they could, they had failed to seek help or support services for their children. Their actions were deemed irresponsible and harmful to the children’s well-being.
Child Protective Services issued a statement condemning the parents for putting their children in unsafe conditions that jeopardized their health. The agency emphasized that the parents had repeatedly failed to seek assistance, which led to the children’s continued neglect. The couple’s lack of action to improve the situation, despite being aware of the severity of their children’s needs, indicated a profound failure to provide a safe and healthy environment.
The Scanlans are scheduled to be sentenced in March. The case serves as a stark reminder of the importance of seeking help and support for children with special needs and the dangers of neglecting their well-being.
