5-year-old boy weighed about 19 pounds at time of death, cops say: ‘Probably the worst case of child neglect I’ve seen’

Around 9 p.m. on New Year’s Day, deputies with the Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office in Louisiana responded to a reported medical emergency involving a juvenile at a gas station in Geismar, the sheriff’s office said. Geismar is about 30 minutes southeast of Baton Rouge.

Upon arrival, deputies found 5-year-old Marley Perilloux unresponsive, officials said.

‘People be treating their pets almost better than that.’

Detectives told WAFB-TV the boy’s parents put him in a car and called 911 in search of help, and deputies met them at the gas station off Highway 73.

Deputies immediately began performing CPR on the boy while awaiting emergency services, the sheriff’s office said.

Marley was transported to an area hospital while deputies and other first responders continued life-saving measures, officials said.

Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Col. Donald