OIL CITY, Pa. (EYT) — An Oil City couple are facing child endangerment charges stemming from allegations concerning their children being locked in a bedroom.

Online court documents indicate the Oil City Police Department filed criminal charges against 33-year-old Joshua David Stone and 25-year-old Amanda Louise Myers, both of Oil City.

According to a criminal complaint, around 10:11 a.m. on February 7, Oil City Police Officers responded to 939 Beech Street to assist Venango PIC (Protective, Intake and Crisis) unit and CYS (Children and Youth Services) regarding children at the residence. Officers were advised that the children could be heard yelling inside the house.

The complaint states that Officer Ruditis, of the Oil City Police Department, made contact with one of the residents – Amanda Myers — and a representative of Venango County PIC’s Unit and CYS.

The CYS representative was making a follow-up visit stemming from an allegation of the children being locked inside a bedroom. The representative indicated that when she arrived, she could hear the children yelling — “Let (me) out.” The six-year-old female stated that all of the children were locked inside a bedroom area, the complaint indicates.

Through investigation, it was found that a gray electronic cord was used to secure the door. According to Myers and Joshua Stone (another resident of the house), they use the cord to secure the bathroom door. They stated the door knob of the bathroom was tied to the children’s bedroom door. Both residents stated that they never lock the children inside the bedroom, even though the representative could hear the children yelling to let them out.

Additionally, Officer Ruditis “was able to observe the bedroom. It was in disarray with dirty clothes and other items of garbage — including but not limited to a ‘dirty’ diaper which had been shredded or torn up laying on the floor, along with another type of cord that appeared to be a phone cord in which the minor children (ranging from one-year-old to six-years-old) could become tangled in. Other observations indicate there was no lighting in the bedroom and only one twin (or single size) mattress for the four children,” according to the complaint.

Prior and similar incidents were reported and investigated on January 24, 2017. During the follow-up interview of this case conducted by Patrolman Ragon, of the Oil City Police Department, and a CYS representative, a lock was taken from the residence in regards to this incident, the complaint continues.

Stone and Myers were arraigned on February 7 in front of Magisterial District Judge Patrick E. Lowrey on the following charges:

– Endangering Welfare of Children, Felony 3
– Parent/Guardian/Other Commits Offense

Both are free on $5,000.00 unsecured bail each.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. on February 15 with Judge Lowrey presiding.