A child abuse investigation in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, has expanded, with four family members facing additional charges after a 5-year-old boy was found wandering alone in the street in July.
The case began on July 10, when witnesses reported seeing the boy walking naked along a roadway in Swatara Township. Authorities took him to a hospital for evaluation before investigators traced him to a nearby home on North Poplar Street.
Pennsylvania State Police announced additional charges in October as the investigation continued. The latest developments involve the boy’s mother, Jade Shuey, 21; his grandmother, Stephanie Schaffner, 42; and two older family members, Scott Schaffner, 59, and Cathy Schaffner, 62. The two older suspects have been identified in subsequent reporting as the boy’s great-grandparents.
Investigators Describe Disturbing Conditions Inside the Home
When troopers investigated the residence, they reported finding extensive clutter, piles of garbage and hundreds of flies. Officers also described conditions that made it difficult to move through the house.
The boy’s bedroom drew particular concern. Investigators said a baby gate had been attached to the outside of the doorframe and secured with zip ties and duct tape. Wooden boards had also been drilled above the gate, allegedly making it harder for the child to get out.
Inside the bedroom, authorities reported seeing feces on the walls and window, food scattered across a damaged bed, trash on the floor and flies throughout the room. Children’s toys were also found among the debris.
Investigators said the condition of the room and the barriers at its entrance indicated that the child had been kept inside against his will.
Lebanon County District Attorney Pier Hess Graf described the boy’s living conditions as deeply disturbing, saying he had been deprived of a normal childhood while living behind barriers that separated him from the rest of the household.
Police Say the Child Had Been Confined for Days
Details released earlier in the investigation added to concerns about the boy’s treatment. Prosecutors said Shuey, Heagy and Stephanie Schaffner acknowledged that the child had been confined in his room for extended periods, sometimes for days at a time.
According to investigators, the adults said the boy was nonverbal, sometimes resisted wearing clothes and had attempted to get out of the room. Authorities also alleged that he was often not allowed to leave the room to use the bathroom.
Investigators further learned that the child had reportedly escaped on an earlier occasion and reached neighboring homes. Neighbors returned him to the residence, according to information released during the investigation.
Those accounts became part of the broader inquiry into the conditions in which the child had been living and the actions of the adults responsible for his care.
Additional Charges Expand the Case
Shuey and Heagy were previously charged with endangering the welfare of a child. Shuey and Stephanie Schaffner have since faced an additional charge of criminal conspiracy to commit obstruction in a child abuse case, according to the latest police announcement.
Scott and Cathy Schaffner also face charges of criminal conspiracy to commit endangering the welfare of children and criminal conspiracy to commit obstruction in a child abuse case. Authorities said they voluntarily surrendered on September 29.
The allegations against the four family members are part of an ongoing criminal case. The charges do not establish guilt, and the defendants are entitled to due process as the proceedings move forward.
Court Proceedings Are Ahead
The case has drawn attention to the circumstances that led to the boy being found alone on a busy roadway and the conditions investigators say they discovered inside the home.
Scott and Cathy Schaffner have preliminary hearings scheduled for October 22. A jury trial for the other three defendants—Shuey, Heagy and Stephanie Schaffner—is scheduled for November 16.
The proceedings are expected to address the allegations and evidence gathered during the investigation. The case remains ongoing as authorities pursue the charges.
