Philadelphia authorities say it’s the worst case of neglect they have seen.
A hiker made a terrible discovery on a Philadelphia trail Friday night. He noticed a 21-year-old quadriplegic man with cerebral palsy laying on the ground in the woods. He had been abandoned there.
The young man had no verbal communication skills and needs a wheelchair to get around.
“This kid is obviously a fighter. It’s just unbelievable how we found him out there last night. To see that kid lying there… it’s just heartbreaking to see how another human, especially a mother, could treat someone like that,” said Lt. John Walker with Philadelphia police.
According to police, his mother had laid him on the ground with a blanket and a bible a week before. He was malnourished, dehydrated and was suffering an infection from a wound on his back. He is now being treated at a local hospital.
The mother apparently went to visit her boyfriend in Maryland and took her other 16-year-old child with her.
She has been arrested and faces charges including assault and reckless endangerment.