A couple charged with neglect after police found five of their children in the back of a cold moving truck has been offered a plea deal.

41 year old David Detjen, and his wife, 40 year old Rebecca Detjen, were arrested in November after state police in Henry County found five of their seven children locked inside the back of an unheated, rented box truck.

The couple, who said they were down on their luck, told police they packed their belongings for a cross-country trip from western Pennsylvania to California.

Two children and three cats were found in the cab of the truck, police said. The other five children and several other cats were found in the back of the truck.

The couple, who each pleaded not guilty to a single count of felony neglect, appeared at a pre-trial conference where they were offered the chance to plead guilty to one charge of neglect. They have a week to accept.