2-year-old boy found in makeshift cage, covered in fecal matter; mother arrested

An upstate New York mother is facing child endangerment charges after police said they found her 2-year-old son in a cage at their home while covered in feces and suffering from multiple broken bones.

New York State Police arrested the 24-year-old woman after her son was found living in deplorable conditions with fractured ribs and bruising on his body, New York State Police announced Thursday in a news release.

Police reported that they learned about the toddler's condition while visiting the family's Buffalo home on Feb. 4 to serve a felony arrest warrant for the woman in connection to a separate crime. The release did not elaborate on the alleged crime.

While at the home, investigators found the 2-year-old in a bedroom inside "a makeshift cage," a play pen that was covered by a piece of a crib that was tied to the top, "not allowing the child to stand or exit the play pen," states the release.

"The cage and 2-year-old were covered in human fecal matter. There was fecal matter on the walls," investigators wrote in the release. "The child and bedding were soaked in urine and fecal matter."

Chicken bones found in cage, mother arrested

New York State Trooper James O'Callaghan told WKBW-TV officers found remains of food inside the cage.

"Bones or some sort of chicken bones. So I mean, it was something where you look at it and it was disgusting,” O'Callaghan told the outlet.

Investigators on scene contacted Child Protective Services and EMS arrived and transported the child to a children’s hospital.

The woman was transported to a police station in Clarence and arrested on a child endangerment charge, according to the release.

It was not immediately known whether the woman was free on bond Friday.

USA TODAY is not naming the woman to protect the identity of the child.

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Doctors: Child's ribs had been broken for at least 10 days

At the hospital, doctors determined the baby suffered bruising on his face and body and also was suffering from two fractured ribs that were in healing stages, which could indicate the baby's ribs had broken anywhere from 10 days to two weeks before the child was seen by medical personnel, police said.

The woman told police in an interview about the injuries that the child fell down stairs between late December 2023 and early January 2024. The woman added she did not seek medical assistance.

It was not immediately known if the woman had obtained an attorney.

Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X @nataliealund.