Mother says the home wasn’t in bad condition after cops knocked on couple’s door and the deplorable conditions in which they kept their three children came to the surface with bugs, soiled and rotten food inside the fridge, and rat poop and feces observed throughout the home; arrested
Police said a couple faces severe charges of child neglect after they discovered their children living in shockingly unsanitary conditions. The 38-year-old woman, later identified as Michelle, and the 41-year-old man, later identified as Willie, have been arrested following a series of events that began with an alleged traffic incident and culminated in the harrowing discovery of neglect.
The situation unfolded when the couple contacted the police department, claiming their 11-year-old child was hit by a car while riding a skateboard. However, this claim was quickly disproved by door camera footage, which showed that the driver had stopped before hitting the boy. As the police were preparing an arrest warrant for Michelle and Willie for filing a false crash report, another incident, where the woman reportedly argued with her neighbor, brought officers back to their residence.
It was during this subsequent visit that officers uncovered the truth about the living conditions of the family. Inside the home, where the couple lived with their three children, ages 11, 12, and 17, officers found shocking conditions. The residence was described as having “layers of dirt, piles of soiled clothing, layers of feces, and piles of rat droppings.” The home’s state was deplorable, with two of the three refrigerators inoperable and filled with moldy food and bugs. The only functional refrigerator contained nothing but condiments. The kitchen was a mess, with dirty dishes and cockroaches, while the bedrooms were scarcely furnished, lacking basic necessities like bedding. The home also had no running water, and the toilet was filled with feces.
When questioned about the state of the home, Michelle’s response was shockingly indifferent: “I didn’t think it was that bad.” The children told police they hadn’t bathed in two days. Willie explained the lack of showers was due to no water in the house, forcing them to rely on external sources for basic hygiene. The Department of Children and Families was promptly called to the scene. They removed the children from the home, ensuring their safety. Michelle and Willie were arrested on three counts of child neglect and one count of filing a false crash report. They are currently held at the jail without bond.
