Vandergrift, surrounding communities rally for 5 abandoned children

Two women are facing charges after Vandergrift police said five children were left alone for days without food or water in a home officers described in court papers as an “absolute disgrace.”

Leslie Ann Keller, 69, of Parks Township, the children’s maternal grandmother, and mother, Heidi Lynn Beer, 35, of Vandergrift are charged with child endangerment. Beer faces additional counts of reckless endangerment and false reports.

The children are ages 9, 10, 14, 15 and 16, according to court papers.

While responding to another incident involving the children on July 28, borough police said one of them reported not seeing Beer for days.

A visit to the Emerson Street home where they had been living revealed deplorable conditions — urine and feces on the floors, bunk beds made of plywood, rotten food on counter tops, holes in the walls and ceiling and leaky pipes, according to court papers.

“It was very obvious that the water had not been on in a long time,” Officer Bethany Allera wrote in the complaint.

According to her arrest papers, Keller told authorities she was aware of the house’s condition, but hadn’t gone inside in months because she described it as “too gross.”

Police said the children kept their clothing in an abandoned house next door.

Charges against Keller were sent by summons, according to court records. A Sept. 9 preliminary hearing is set.

A warrant was issued for Beer’s arrest.

The children told police she was living with a boyfriend in Pittsburgh. During a conversation with police, she claimed to be in West Virginia and lived only at the Vandergrift home, according to court records.

Neither Keller nor Beer could be reached for comment. They did not have attorneys listed in online court records.

Paternal grandmother steps in …

Darla Updegraff is the children’s paternal grandmother. Updegraff said she had no idea what was in store when her 16-year-old granddaughter called her in tears.

Updegraff said the girl was saying she didn’t know how she was going to feed her four siblings.

“She said she knew I’d take them in,” Updegraff said.

Updegraff, 53, said she got in contact with Vandergrift police and was told to report to the home that her grandchildren were living in.

Her 16-year-old grandchild told Updegraff that she had fed her siblings the last of the food in the house and they’d been going to Kiski Area Elementary School for free lunches during the day.

“My oldest grandchild was left there to be mom instead of a child,” Updegraff said.

Updegraff said she had been kept from her grandchildren for about three years. Updegraff said she’d been unaware of the conditions they were living in until the Aug. 4 incident that led to three of the grandchildren being placed in her care.

She said the first thing she did was feed the children a hot meal. The second was have them each take a warm shower.

“I went inside (the home),” Updegraff said. “What I saw was deplorable. I will do whatever I have to do to make my grandkids never go through this again. … I get sick to my stomach when I think about it.”

… And the public roars in

Updegraff wasn’t the only person to feel that way.

Upon hearing the news, it took less than 24 hours for residents in Vandergrift and surrounding communities to begin fundraising and donation collections for the children.

“I just had to do something,” said Wynne Kubisiak of Allegheny Township.

Kubisiak said she read the story about Updegraff’s grandchildren and couldn’t get it out of her head. She called her friend Jen Atchison, owner of East West Boutique in Vandergrift, to see if Atchison would make the boutique a drop-off site for donations. Atchison agreed without hesitation.

Atchison began posting on social media about accepting donations. She said the response was almost instantaneous.

Just two hours after the post was created, it was shared over 200 times. Atchison was fielding calls at the boutique, and in-person donations had already begun.

“It’s amazing,” Atchison said. “It’s part of why I do what I do, and I’m just happy I can use my store for good.”

Dontations can be dropped off at East West Boutique.

Kubisiak reached out to Vandergrift police to get in contact with Updegraff and find out exactly what the children need.

Updegraff said any donations are extremely appreciated.

“I told them to salvage what they could,” Updegraff said. “It wasn’t much.”

Donations are needed of women’s clothing in sizes ranging from medium to extra large; men’s large; 14 to 16 in boys; 10 to 12 in girls; size 7 1/2 in boy’s shoes; size 4 in girl’s shoes; and 9 wide in women’s shoes. Updegraff is also in need of two dressers to hold the children’s clothes.

In addition to clothing, Kubisiak said, after the children having to act like adults, she’s hoping they receive donations that allow them to be kids again.

Updegraff said the children enjoy drawing, arts and crafts, board games, dolls, cars, trucks and bracelet-making. As for food, Kubisiak said gift cards to Shop ‘n Save and Giant Eagle would be ideal.

“This is just making sure the kids are fed and that they have what they need,” Kubisiak said. “It’s incredible. This is why I want to raise my children here: I wanted my kids to have a childhood and grow up with a sense of community. It’s the point of small-town living.”

People can drop off donations at East West Boutique, 140 Grant Ave., Vandergrift. If they have any questions regarding donations, they can message Kubisiak and East West Boutique on Facebook. If a local business would like to sponsor donations or meals for the family, message Kubisiak on Facebook.

What’s next?

For now, the children are fed and healthy, Updegraff said. She said they’re content.

Some days they do movie nights, others they do crafts together. They’ve begun “fun days,” Updegraff said. Most recently they spent the day at a public pool.

She lives in a two-bedroom apartment and is looking for a larger space to rent.

“They’re doing pretty good,” Updegraff said. “It’s a lot for them. It looks like they’d been dealing with this for a while. It’s so sad. I didn’t know any of this; I didn’t know what was going on. What mother would do this?”

Updegraff’s next steps include getting her remaining two grandchildren in her care. She said they’re in Westmoreland County Children’s Bureau’s custody since one attempted to go with Beer and the other attempted to go with Keller.

“My grandchildren will never go back to (Beer),” she said. “I will fight for them.”

Updegraff said she’s attempting to get enough supplies and goods for all five of her grandchildren so they have what they need if they get placed in her care. If they don’t, Updegraff said, she’ll send the donations to where they are.