Police said the 35-year-old man was emaciated and unable to care for himself when officers searched the family home.
PITCAIRN, Pa. — A western Pennsylvania woman faces false imprisonment and other charges after police said they found her 35-year-old son, who has significant disabilities, emaciated and unclothed inside a small closet in her Pitcairn home.
Bonnie Schutzer is also charged with neglect and abuse of care for a dependent person, according to a criminal complaint cited in local reporting. Authorities said her son is autistic, nonverbal and partially blind and deaf. Police described him as unable to care for himself and said he appeared to be in poor physical condition when officers entered the home.
The search began after Pitcairn police received reports involving dogs that were believed to be in poor condition. Police Chief Scott Farally said officers spoke with neighbors and heard screaming from inside the residence before obtaining a search warrant. Officers ultimately found 18 dogs in the home along with Schutzer and her son.
Farally said the man was discovered huddled inside a closet that police estimated was about 6 feet by 6 feet. Investigators saw indications that he may have spent significant time there, but authorities had not determined whether he was continuously confined to the space or whether he had been permitted to leave it. That question remained part of the investigation.
The criminal complaint said the man had difficulty walking and had limited control of his arms. Investigators also described behavior after he was removed from the residence that they believed showed extreme hunger. Authorities have not publicly released his name, and available reporting did not provide a detailed update on his medical condition after he was taken from the home.
Police also described serious sanitation and structural concerns throughout the residence. Farally said officers encountered urine and feces on the floor, though authorities had not determined whether the waste came from people or animals. Debris was scattered around the property, and officials later determined that the house was unsafe for occupancy.
A neighbor, Chantai Howard, told KDKA-TV that she had lived across the street for nearly 10 years and had not seen the man during that period. She said she sometimes heard noises and banging coming from the residence. Those observations are witness accounts and do not establish how long the man may have remained inside the home or the closet.
Howard’s security camera recorded Schutzer being taken from the property in handcuffs, according to the station. Howard also said Schutzer’s boyfriend spent time at the house but was not there when officers executed the warrant. Police had not announced charges against another person in connection with the case in the available reporting.
The Allegheny County Police Department is handling most of the continuing investigation. Authorities have not publicly established how long the alleged neglect occurred, whether anyone else will face charges or what additional evidence investigators may recover from the home.
Author note: Last updated November 13, 2026.