Middletown Man Sentenced To Prison In Child Neglect Case

MIDDLETOWN TOWNSHIP, PA — A Middletown man faces decades in prison for what one doctor called the "worst case" of child neglect he had ever seen.

Albert Dunkowski, 54, faces between nine to 21 years behind bars for his involvement in a child endangerment case that involved his estranged wife and four children, who were all living in unsafe conditions in a car in 2019.

According to the Bucks County Courier Times, Dunkowski and his estranged wife, Christine Dunkowski, 48, were found guilty of three felony charges of endangering child welfare. The family was found living in the same car parked at the Woodbourne Train station on Aug. 27, 2019.

None of the children were enrolled in school, and some of them were found to be in diapers that had not been changed in a long time. One child, who was reported as having cerebral palsy, had bed sores. Deputy District Attorney Matthew Lannetti is quoted as saying the smell of urine coming from the car was "unbearable."

After refusing to let their children be taken to the hospital, a doctor recommended they be sent to St. Mary Medical Center in Middletown, where one emergency room physician said it was the worst case of child neglect he had ever seen.

The Dunkowski's other children were later found by police. One child was staying at a family friend's house and had severe dental neglect that made it impossible for her to chew from one side of her mouth. The sixth child was found by police in Falls Township and appeared severely malnourished and 30 pounds underweight.

After the couple was charged with child neglect, both failed to show up for a court date. Christine was later arrested at a Delaware motel and Albert was arrested at a Maryland bus stop. Both were arrested by U.S. Marshals without incident.

Judge Wallace Bateman Jr. senate Albert Dunkowski to three to nine years of prison for each count he is convicted for. He will serve each one consecutively. Christine has not been sentenced yet.