Mother charged with child neglect in dog cage abuse case in north Tulsa

TULSA - The mother of three children found to be victims of abuse in north Tulsa less than a week ago was arrested Friday.

Erin Lewallen, 27, is charged with one count of child neglect.

On Sunday, police were called to Lewallen's home to find her husband, 47-year-old William Lewallen, passed out in bed and potentially impaired. His three children were also in the home.

One of the children, an 18-month-old girl, was found screaming in a cage naked and covered in feces. The other two children, 3 and 4, were also found naked, with the oldest outside the home.

William Lewallen was immediately arrested for child neglect, but his wife -- who was not at home when police arrived -- avoided booking.

Two days later, Tulsa police arrested Erin Lewallen on an unrelated larceny charge, the same day she filed for divorce.

Lewallen had been pushing for custody of the children, who were placed in DHS care following the abuse discovery.