2 Charged with Elder Abuse, Child Neglect After Family with 4 Children Found in ‘Horrendous’ Living Conditions
“The living conditions were horrendous, with bugs, feces and trash scattered throughout the home,” local police in California said
Two people are facing multiple criminal charges, including elder abuse and child cruelty, after police found four children in what they described as “horrendous” living conditions inside a California home.
The Visalia Police Department announced Tuesday that the discovery was made after officers were called to a local hospital around 5 p.m. Monday on a report of a 52-year-old woman who had been dropped off and was “extremely emaciated and in medical distress,” a Facebook post reads.
Police said they sought help from the Violent Crimes Unit, and an investigation began.
During the investigation, police learned that the 52-year-old woman was under the care of one of her adult daughters, the post states. Officers then went to the Visalia home where the woman was staying and obtained a search warrant.
Inside the home, detectives found two adults, Cecilia Colleen Rodriguez, 34, and Gregory Paul Chavez, 61, as well as four children aged four to 15.
“The living conditions were horrendous, with bugs, feces and trash scattered throughout the home,” police said. According to police, Adult Protective Services, Child Welfare Services and Code Enforcement were called to the scene due to its “hazardous environment.”
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Police said the four children have since been placed in the custody of Child Welfare Services and the 52-year-old woman is in stable condition.
Rodriguez and Chavez were both arrested and charged with elder abuse, child neglect and abuse, according to police. It’s unclear if they have entered pleas or retained attorneys to speak on their behalf.
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