Parents arrested after 3 children found living in ‘deplorable conditions,’ police say
The parents of three malnourished and feces-soiled children have been arrested by the Franklin County sheriff’s office.
Kimberly Powell, 26, and Andrew Powell, 25, were charged with three counts each of first-degree criminal abuse of children, police said.
The investigation into the Powell family began on July 15 when police responded to a call made to the Franklin County social services hotline, said Sheriff Pat Melton in a Tuesday news conference.
Upon entering the Powell home at 5134 Georgetown Road, trailer park lot 81, police found the three children—ages 2,4 and 6—subjected to “cruel confinement,” Melton said.
“[The parents] neglected to provide the children with adequate medical care, supervision, food, clothing,” Melton said. “[The children] were routinely locked in a bedroom alone, with a shoe string tied around a door knob and tied to a screw on the door frame.”
The Powell home was bug infested and smelled of urine and human feces, which was caked on the children ages 2 and 4, Melton said. Feces was also found under their fingernails.
The children were taken into custody by child protective services. The parents were given a family plan they would need to complete before their children could be returned, Melton said in a subsequent phone interview. The two did not complete the plan.
The pair were arrested Tuesday and taken to the Franklin County Regional Jail. Their bonds were set at $25,000 each.
Melton would not comment on whether the parents had been arrested before and why the children were living in such poor conditions. Melton called the parents “very irresponsible.”
This story was originally published August 30, 2016 at 4:57 PM with the headline "Parents arrested after 3 children found living in ‘deplorable conditions,’ police say."