Three Arrested in Child Neglect Case

BAY COUNTY, FL -  On December 1, 2024, deputies responded to a call at a home on Terrell Street, where two children, ages 4 and 5, were found yelling for help from a broken window. The children reported being locked in their room and needing to use the bathroom. Upon investigation, deputies found the bedroom secured with a steel cable and observed poor living conditions, including a strong odor of urine and feces, broken toys, piles of trash, and cockroaches.

Further interviews with the children revealed they were locked in their room every night and lacked proper heating. The children also reported being cold, with one saying their lips were freezing. The parents admitted to locking the children in the room each night since 2023 and claimed they were trying to teach them to clean their room.

The Department of Children and Families (DCF) was contacted, and the children were removed from the home. DCF advised that the living conditions warranted immediate intervention. A Child Protective Team interview confirmed the children's accounts of neglect.

The investigation also revealed the children's paternal grandfather resided in the home and was aware of the situation but did not report it.

The deputies arrested a 27-year-old woman and a 31-year-old man who were charged with two counts of Child Neglect. A 73-year-old man was also charged with Failure to Report Child Neglect.