An Irwin woman was sentenced Monday to serve at least six years in prison for leaving seven children in a home riddled with trash, human waste and no water.
Marah S. Urch, 34, pleaded guilty in January to seven counts of child endangerment and two charges of aggravated cruelty to animals.
According to court records, a neighbor reported seeing several unsupervised, dirt-covered children chasing a dog on Short Street in the borough Sept. 22. One child had an overflowing diaper and a bloody mouth from a fall, the neighbor told police.
Police conducted a search of Urch’s home, where she lived with seven children, ages 10 months to 15 years. Investigators said the residence had a strong stench of urine and feces, and floors were covered with trash, dirty diapers and rotting food.
An 11-year-old child was left to babysit the other children while Urch attended another child’s softball game, police said. Authorities noted water service to the home had been shut off in June.
Officials removed seven cats, six dogs and two ferrets from the property. Two cats and a hermit crab were found dead. A caseworker from the Westmoreland County Children’s Bureau told police previous efforts to meet with Urch were unsuccessful and that, during a home visit, the caseworker was forced to step over large piles of trash in the front yard.
Urch has been in jail in lieu of $250,000 bond since her arrest in September.
On Monday, Westmoreland County Common Pleas Judge Christopher Feliciani sentenced Urch to serve four consecutive 1 1/2- to 3-year prison sentences and an additional seven years of probation. As part of the sentence, Urch is barred from having any contact with the children.
Correction: The first name of Marah S. Urch was misspelled in the early version of this story.