New Castle man, woman charged with endangering children's welfare

NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- A city woman and her boyfriend are charged with endangering the welfare of children after her two children were found naked in a flea-infested apartment.
Police said they found the children, ages 1 and 4, the night of Sept. 10 in Veronica McDonald's Crestview Gardens apartment on Parkwood Court, but didn't release a report until today.
Police said Mark Pagley, 29, of R.W. Miller Avenue was passed out in a back bedroom and took several minutes to come to as police shouted at him.
Firefighters and paramedics were called because of an overwhelming smell of ammonia in the apartment.
Police said the children were naked and had numerous flea bites. A neighbor bathed them before they were turned over to Children and Youth Services.
McDonald, 21, was not home, police said.
Water left running in a sink had soaked the apartment and there were dirty dishes, pots and pans as well as a cat litter box that had not been changed.