Wake County parents face new charges in child cage abuse case

Wake County authorities have added new charges against Lacy Douglas Hocutt Jr. and Rachelleigh Marie Galasso, widening a case that already alleged years of abuse, neglect and lasting injury inside a southern Wake County home. Prosecutors said six children, ages 1 to 15, were removed from the house in mid-February, and one 13-year-old was allegedly found in a dog kennel, covered in feces and dangerously underweight.

Investigators began after a tip on Feb. 20, 2026, about abuse and neglect in southern Wake County. The allegations suggest the warning signs were not limited to one bad day. Court records and court reporting indicate the abuse had been going on for more than four years, with children kept out of school and unable to read or write. Investigators also said the home was so filthy they had to wear protective gear and body suits to go inside.

The medical and developmental damage described in the case is severe. Prosecutors said the 13-year-old had an E. coli infection linked to fecal exposure and was so underweight the condition was life-threatening. Two other children allegedly needed adult teeth removed and would require continued dental treatment. Another child’s untreated scoliosis was described as permanent, underscoring how long the neglect may have gone on before authorities stepped in.

Hocutt, 34, was originally charged with three counts of statutory rape of a child under 15 and six counts of statutory rape of a child by an adult. Galasso, 33, was initially charged with negligent child abuse resulting in serious physical injury and negligent child abuse resulting in serious bodily injury. Both were held without bond and assigned public defenders on April 2, with a return court date set for April 23. Court records now show both were arrested again Thursday on additional charges.

Child-safety advocates say the Wake County allegations fit a broader statewide pattern. Rebekah Paredes, executive director of Safe Child NC, said child-abuse numbers have been rising year over year. Sharon Hirsch, president of Positive Childhood Alliance North Carolina, said neglect makes up more than 80% of child abuse cases in the state. The group says North Carolina had 116,566 children with investigated reports of possible abuse and neglect from July 2022 to June 2023, a reminder of how often severe neglect hides in plain sight until the damage is already done.