Starving girl, 8, clutched teddy as she jumped from window to find food
An eight-year-old girl who jumped from her home's window to search for food clutched her teddy bear before she left.
Ryan Keith Hardman and Ellio M. Hardman, both 33, have been arrested and charged with neglect of a child after their daughter escaped her home to beg for food in Arnoldsburg, West Virginia.
The toddler walked into a Family Dollar store barefoot and holding her teddy bear to ask for food and water.
She told store staff that her parents refused to feed her and often told her she was unwanted. She had only eaten one sandwich in the last three days, given to her by one of her siblings.
One of the store workers, who has not been named, told local media: "The little girl, she came through the store, just walked straight up to us was like, ‘I’m hungry, my mom and dad don’t want me no more, do you have anything I can eat?'"
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The Family Dollar store located in the 400 block of Arnoldsburg Road in Arnoldsburg, West Virginia (Google Maps/Newsflash)According to a criminal complaint seen by WOWK-TV, the child walked into the store barefoot and holding a teddy bear.
She reportedly told staff that she escaped through her home's window because her parents didn't allow her to go outside.
The store staff provided her with snacks while they called the police. The authorities found that the parents were unaware of the child's absence and discovered drug paraphernalia in their home.
The girl told deputies her parents told her she had an attitude and when they tell her she’s not being good they don’t want her, the criminal complaint said.
"She felt dehydrated because she hadn’t drunk enough water and wanted to see if the Family Dollar had anything for her to eat," a police spokesperson said.
They added: "Her parents told her she had an attitude and when they think she has an attitude, they tell her she’s not being good and they don’t want her.."
Ellio Magthalena Hardman, the mother of the children, has been arrested (West Virginia Regional Jail/Newsflash)
Ryan Keith Hardman, the father, is being held on bond along with the mother of the children (West Virginia Regional Jail/Newsflash)The police also said: "This was not the first time they told her they didn’t want her."
The 8-year-old was treated for pain and injuries suffered from jumping out of the window, ABC13 reported.
The girl and her three siblings were taken out of the home. The parents, Ryan Keith Hardman and Ellio M. Hardman are currently in custody on a cash-only bond of $100,000 (£77,830).
Both have been charged with child neglect with risk of serious bodily injury or death and conspiracy, according to criminal complaints filed in Calhoun County Magistrate Court.
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An investigation into the incident is ongoing.
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