Social workers remove children from unsafe home

Elise Gee

FREEDOM HOMES -- County social workers and city staff found two children

living in “disgusting” and unsanitary conditions at a Continental Avenue

home Thursday.

An emergency response worker from the Social Service Agency, accompanied

by police, code enforcement and animal control authorities, went to the

home after receiving complaints about the living conditions there,

officials said.

The children, although not taken into protective custody, were removed

from the home until conditions there change, Police Sgt. Don Holford

said.

“There were animals that lived in the house,” Holford said. “There was a

snake, four dogs and a pig in the frontyard.”

Much of the mess, which included feces, could be attributed to the

animals, and one of the rooms didn’t have any flooring or carpeting,

Holford said.

Neighbors, who wished to remain anonymous, said they have been concerned

about the children. One of the neighbors had also donated a sink to the

family because there wasn’t one in the house.

The property owner at the home in the 2000 block of Continental Avenue

also was given a notice of code violations. She will have 15 days to

remove old toys, debris and vegetation from her yard, said Sandy Benson,

senior code enforcement officer.

The children, who were turned over to their father, cannot return to the

home until the problems are fixed, Holford said.

Social Services cannot comment on the specifics of this case but it will

remain under investigation, said Michael Riley, director of children and

family services.

Generally, emergency service workers evaluate cases according to the

potential for immediate harm to a child and interaction between the

parents and children, he said.