Two Pennsylvania parents, James Russell Kahl, 65, and Carly Kahl, 41, were arrested Wednesday after allegedly confining their five children in a locked room described by officials as a “dungeon,” according to the Fayette County District Attorney’s Office.
The children, aged 5 to 14, were reportedly kept in deplorable conditions at the family home in Redstone Township. Troopers responded to the residence on August 8 around 1:30 p.m. following a complaint made to Fayette County Children and Youth Services.
Officials found the children’s bedroom locked from the outside, with no way for the children to escape. The room had boarded-up windows, walls covered in feces, fleas, no beds, limited clothing, and no food. The door was secured with three deadbolt locks and lacked a handle. Video cameras connected to the father’s room monitored the children, according to the district attorney’s office.
After a judge signed a removal order, the children were immediately taken into protective custody. Forensic interviews with the children were conducted over the following weeks, and all remain in placement with child welfare services.
During a search warrant executed nearly a month later, authorities recovered a stun gun, replica pistol, drugs, and drug paraphernalia from the home. James and Carly Kahl were then taken into custody and charged with aggravated assault, reckless endangerment, child welfare endangerment, conspiracy, use of an incapacitation device, marijuana possession, and drug paraphernalia offenses.
Both parents were denied bail and have a court hearing scheduled for September 17. Requests for comment from their attorneys and the district attorney’s office have not yet been returned.
