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West Virginia Parents Charged with Child Neglect Amid Shocking Circumstances
2025-04-15

In a harrowing incident in West Virginia, a couple has been accused of neglecting their children after reportedly losing consciousness while their 3-year-old son was found on the roof of their home. According to law enforcement reports, the young boy was discovered shivering and partially covered in waste during a rainstorm. The parents, identified as Mason Adkins, 29, and Sonya Adkins, 25, allegedly spent the night before smoking marijuana and playing video games, leaving their children unattended. Upon arrival at the scene, officers noted multiple concerning conditions within the household, including unsanitary living environments and locked doors preventing immediate access to the child.

On April 10, authorities were alerted to the unusual situation in Glenville, where emergency responders arrived at approximately 11:45 a.m. They encountered several barriers entering the residence, eventually unlocking numerous doors to reach the child trapped on the roof. In addition to the 3-year-old, another toddler aged 1 year was also located inside the premises under distressing circumstances. Reports indicate that fecal matter was smeared across walls throughout the house, raising further concerns about the family's living conditions.

Law enforcement officials speculate that the older child might have exited his room through a broken window, though this remains unconfirmed. At the time of the rescue operation, both parents were asleep and unaware of their son's perilous location atop the building. During questioning, they confessed to having last checked on their children around 8 p.m. the previous evening, following which they engaged in recreational activities until dawn.

Consequently, Mason and Sonya Adkins face charges related to child neglect involving risk of injury and conspiracy. Currently incarcerated at Central Regional Jail in Sutton, they await trial with bail set at $50,000 each. This case highlights critical issues surrounding parental responsibility and child welfare in challenging domestic settings.

The tragic events unfolding in Glenville underscore the necessity for vigilant monitoring of vulnerable households. While the exact sequence leading up to the discovery of the child on the roof remains unclear, it is evident that systemic failures contributed to these alarming conditions. As legal proceedings progress, questions linger regarding how such neglect could occur without earlier intervention from community support systems or social services.

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