A mother and her boyfriend accused of keeping a 5-year-old boy locked in a squalid bedroom fitted with zip-tied baby gates and drilled wooden boards now face additional charges including aggravated assault on a child, according to Pennsylvania State Police.
Background
On July 10, authorities responded to reports of a naked boy found wandering alone on Quarry Road in Swatara Township, Pennsylvania — an area roughly 95 miles northwest of Philadelphia. Witnesses told troopers the child was walking in the middle of the road before being taken to a hospital for evaluation. Investigators later determined the boy had escaped from a home on North Poplar Street in the same township.
Upon entering the residence, police encountered what they described as "hoarder conditions" — trash throughout the house, hundreds of flies, and limited space due to accumulated clutter. The conditions inside one particular bedroom drew particular scrutiny from investigators.
The boy's bedroom was fitted with a baby gate secured to the door frame using multiple zip ties and duct tape. Above that barrier, wooden boards had been drilled into the exterior of the door frame — an apparent effort to prevent the child from leaving the room, according to court documents. Inside, troopers observed feces smeared on walls and the bedroom window, a bed torn apart with food scattered across it, trash covering the floor, and hundreds of flies swarming throughout the space.
Lebanon County District Attorney Pier Hess Graf described the scene ashorrifying in comments to regional NBC affiliate WGAL.
The Investigation
Jade Shuey, 21, was identified as the boy's mother. Her boyfriend, Tucker Heagy, also 21, and Stephanie Schaffner, 42 — identified as the child's grandmother — were initially charged with endangering the welfare of a child following the discovery. All three appeared in Lebanon County court for a preliminary hearing on Thursday, where additional details emerged about the living conditions authorities say the child endured.
Prosecutors have since filed enhanced charges against Shuey and Heagy. Both now face counts of aggravated assault on a victim less than 13 years old, conspiracy to commit aggravated assault on a victim less than 13 years old, and unlawful restraint of a minor. Schaffner remains charged with the original endangerment count.
According to statements attributed to investigators, Shuey told authorities her son spent approximately 90 percent of his day inside the locked room. Court documents suggest the boy sometimes remained confined for up to three consecutive days without leaving. He was allegedly fed through the baby gate and received baths only once weekly — if at all.
Key Takeaways
- The boy was discovered naked and alone on a road in Swatara Township, Pennsylvania, on July 10 before being taken to a hospital for evaluation
- Police say his bedroom had been modified with zip-tied gates and drilled wooden boards to prevent him from leaving
- Investigators documented feces smeared on walls and windows, food scattered throughout the room, and hundreds of flies inside the residence
- Shuey allegedly told police her son spent 90 percent of each day confined to the room — sometimes for up to three consecutive days
- The boy was fed through the barrier and bathed only once weekly, according to statements attributed to investigators
What's Next
All three defendants appeared for a preliminary hearing in Lebanon County court on Thursday. Heagy has another preliminary hearing scheduled for August 6. Court records do not yet list future hearing dates for Shuey or Schaffner. The Lebanon County District Attorney's Office indicated it intends to pursue full prosecution and hold the defendants accountable for what officials described as severe child abuse.