Arrest Warrant Issued For Mother Who Left Disabled Son In Woods
PHILADELPHIA (WJZ)– Philadelphia Police are investigating after a 21-year-old quadriplegic man was found in a wooded area covered in a blanket on Friday night.
Officials say the man may have been left on the ground in that park for five days— while his mother, 41-year-old Nyia Parler, visited a boyfriend here in Maryland. According to the Associated Press, an arrest warrant has been issued for Parler.
Meghan McCorkell has more on this disturbing case.
It was in the woods near Cobbs Creek in Philadelphia where a passer-by spotted the man laying under leaves and covered with a blanket.
The only things with him— a bible and his wheelchair, which was several feet away.
"Walking down the walking path he sees the wheelchair and so he goes to look at the wheelchair and sees this kid lying there on the ground," said Lt. John Walker, Philadelphia Police.
Investigators believe the 21-year-old man–who's non-verbal and paralyzed from the neck down was left in the woods by Parler five days ago when she hopped a bus to Maryland to visit a boyfriend.
"She took him out of the wheelchair laid him down and put a bible with him and put a blanket over top of him," police said.
For five days, the young man endured rain and cold–suffering from malnutrition and dehydration. School officials raised a red flag after the man was absent from classes this week.
But investigators say when the school called–the mother told them her son was with her here in Maryland.
Police say Parler also lied to family members about where her son was.
Detectives call this one of the most disturbing cases of domestic abuse they've ever seen.
"To see that kid laying there, it's heartbreaking to see another human especially a mother could treat someone like that when you had all the opportunities in the world to turn that kid over to your family members who wanted to care for him," said Walker.
CBS Philly reports, Parler is facing aggravated assault, simple assault, reckless endangerment of another person, neglect of a care dependent person, unlawful restraint, kidnapping and false imprisonment.
The 21-year-old is in stable condition at the hospital.
Police say they also plan to investigate what's been going on with the son's care over the past several years.
