Child Neglect Arrest: Photos Released Of Filth In Jay Home

January 5, 2012

The Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office has released photos from inside a home described as “dangerous, disheveled and unsanitary” where two children were living outside Jay.

Rebeccah Lynn Ates, 35, and Vance Joseph Ates, 38, were released on bond from the Santa Rosa County Jail after being charged with child neglect. Deputies found that their two young children were filthy and walking around barefoot in the squalor shown in these photos.

Deputies found garbage everywhere, decaying food in the kitchen along with an infestation of roaches in the home.

For more photos from inside the home, click here.

For more information, click here for an earlier story.

Pictured: Two children were found barefoot and filthy in this home on Highway 4 near Jay. Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.


Comments

33 Responses to “Child Neglect Arrest: Photos Released Of Filth In Jay Home”

  1. Char on January 7th, 2012 10:26 am

    Did they run out of garbage bags, or where the Children trying to eat out
    of the garbage?

    THIS is just to SAD for COMMENT!

  2. Atmore resident on January 6th, 2012 7:12 pm

    At least the toliet was clean! Take the kids, these people obviously do not deserve them.

  3. people-r-crazy on January 6th, 2012 2:34 pm

    haha I noticed the new toilet too! With all of the nasty around it you can’t help but to see it shine! lol

  4. David Huie Green on January 6th, 2012 10:37 am

    LOVINGLY CONSIDERING:
    “If you really know Jesus you will have unconditional love. Do you know what Christlike love is?”

    And yet, Christ DOES condemn those who hurt children. Notice that nobody much cares if adults wish to live in filth; they just love children too much to wish it on them.

    “However it was more sad to me that they were removed from seeing their parents.”

    Rejoice, I’m sure they’ll continue to let them see each other, just won’t let them continue to abuse them by making them live with the roaches, broken glass, rotting food and old feces.

    “Just because they didn’t clean their house does not mean they didn’t love their children.”

    It does strongly imply they didn’t love them enough to do the bare minimum required to protect them from broken glass and infection.

    “Have you stopped to think that they may have had a physical or mental reason for letting things get this out of control.”

    Yes, the thought has passed through some of our minds that they might have a mental problem, but t’would be judgmental to say.

    “They may have – - – severe depression.”

    SEVERE depression if the lady could say it had been like that over a year and she never felt the need to clean.

    “Are you too lazy to help these people?

    I thought we WERE helping them by protecting the children and treating the adults like responsible parties.

    “Are you God? ”

    No, but my adoptive Father is and he has expressed displeasure with those who hurt children. I’m not sure why you think it shows hatred to say some treatment of children is wrong, that people shouldn‘t abuse children.

    David for loved children

  5. A person with common sense. on January 6th, 2012 6:23 am

    The Mother and Father has no sense at all! Who in the right mind would want to live like this? I don’t care if you are dirt poor, there is no reason to be filthy and unclean!!!!!!!!!!!!! There is no reason to live in such utter chaos, filth and SORRINESS! Having some aspect of the word clean is not hard to do or to understand. It is called LAZINESS! You don’t have to have a lot of money to be clean! You can be DIRT poor, but you can be CLEAN! It seems the parents or what ever you want to call them have no care in the world about the themselves. You have to care about your self in order to care about some one else! There is too much help out there for people from the public to live like this… The parents (well this what they call them) doesn’t care about themselves apparently, so why would they care for the Children. May these kids now grow up in place of someone who cares for them and will make sure they get what they need now.

  6. Granny on January 5th, 2012 9:44 pm

    I remember a situation much like this one…the family was reported more than one time…as a matter of fact it was seven times…they always let the children go back, with promises it would get better and they would take better care of the children…three little ones lived in that home and then one day there were two….one child set papers on fire with a lighter he found and the adults were sleeping..the little fellow burned to death…what a sad day that was…I wish the state would do better follow-up care…this little one may still be alive….not all adults need to be parents…how the children suffered in this pig sty is a sin.

  7. JustMe on January 5th, 2012 9:34 pm

    I can see judge not lest be judgeds point. I am pretty sure there are broken hearts..its not the childrens fault. Get the parents some needed counseling and/or maybe family and friends that care about them and straighten their lives out for both their benefit and the kiddos. On a funnier note..I couldnt help but notice the BRAND NEW SHINY throne in a filthy disgusting bathroom LOL.

  8. baebae on January 5th, 2012 8:42 pm

    TO JUDGE NOT…….Did you look at the pictures dude.??..its not a sin to be poor…buts its a sin to be filthy….no excuses here dude….a picture is worth a thousand words…

  9. judge not lest ye be judged on January 5th, 2012 6:01 pm

    People of this community you have made me so sad. If you really know Jesus you will have unconditional love. Do you know what Christlike love is? I believe Jesus would want us to help these people, not sit in judgment. All though I do not know this family, my heart breaks for them. Yes, the children should not have to live like this, I agree. However it was more sad to me that they were removed from seeing their parents. Their poor little hearts must be broken. Just because they didn’t clean their house does not mean they didn’t love their children. Have you stopped to think that they may have had a physical or mental reason for letting things get this out of control. They may have lost a loved one and have severe depression. I really don’t know their circumstances, do you? Are you too lazy to help these people? Are you so perfect and sin free to past judgement? Are you God? When you pray for these people, pray out of love. Pray for the betterment of the family not the destruction. Show love, not hate. Remember that you will have to answer for your actions and your words one day in Heaven. I am not trying to offend any of you so let me go ahead and apologize in advance because if the previous post are any indication of your reaction I am sure my post will incite more judgment. God Bless you all. I love everyone and want only the best for all.

  10. baebae on January 5th, 2012 4:55 pm

    WOW….they need help…serious help…kinda like hoarders aint they…I saw a box of garbage bags ! all they need to do is open the box and use them…soap by the tub…full bottle….be hard to sleep there..lets pray for the folks

  11. MD on January 5th, 2012 4:09 pm

    I had a friend that was legally blind and her house didn’t even look like this. I would be scared to sit on the toilet there as it looks like it may fall through at any time. I pray this isn’t a rental property! God bless these babies is all I can say!

  12. noglasshouse on January 5th, 2012 3:32 pm

    There are houses in Atmore that need to be checked by DHR. Because, obviously, some of the garbage men take their work home with them- literally…. If you can’t make it past the poarch, you know you can’t walk inside.

  13. Dee on January 5th, 2012 2:02 pm

    All I can say is NASTY!!!! you would think with all the Mt. Dew cans they would have had some energy to clean the place.

  14. Terri Sanders on January 5th, 2012 12:58 pm

    grandmother is probably right about the parents getting the kids back.Unless Florida has changed living in squallor is not against the law.

    Years ago i was living in a house with no electricity and no running water .We had lost our home and was able to buy a place that had been empty 20 years.It took a while to get running water and electricity but in the meantime some well meaning soul at Century High School thought my kids needed a better home so they turned me in.It was a hassel but after talking to my three teenagers,DCF decided they needed to go away and leave us alone.I had made arrangements for showers for all of us at neightbors.It was a tough time,but we made it through and my kids are better for the experience. It is a shame what these and other kids have to live in ,but it is not against the law.Probably more than 75 % of the world’s population of children live in worse than this every day.We just don’t see it in our neighborhood.foster parenting can make a difference at some level though.

  15. Mom of a 5 month old on January 5th, 2012 12:54 pm

    Laundry detergent? i bet they don’t even wash clothes and If they do how are they going to find them. This is just pure disgusting! My house may not be perfect but i make sure that my child has a safe environment. God bless them poor babies!

  16. gerry on January 5th, 2012 12:47 pm

    I don’t think Mike Rowe would go in this house. And he has been in some nasty places!
    I feel sorry for the two deputies who had to go in there.

  17. T. H on January 5th, 2012 12:34 pm

    C.W. I think this is the same house. If you do a google map with there name they are not far from Friendship road in Berrydale, Munson area. POOR kids. I dont feel sorry for any adult they are willing it is the inocent kids i feel for.

  18. Kim on January 5th, 2012 9:55 am

    This is so disgusting!!! How lazy can you get? How much effort does it take to place garbage in a bag and throw it away? A bottle of dishwashing liquid you can get for less than $1. This just sickens me that those children had to live in this. You would not even want an animal to live in this!!! Poor children!!!!

  19. Scott on January 5th, 2012 9:32 am

    I always wondered what happened to the trash we put in the recycle bin. Apparently, it all gets delivered to their living room.

  20. Sheila Rodgers on January 5th, 2012 9:12 am

    I have ran my own cleaning service off and on for years, residential and commercial, NEVER have i walked into a home or motel room so disgusting. Obviously the parents are just lazy. In the pictures you can see bottles of at least four CLEANING products, wonder what they were used for ?
    If this is the living room and kitchen, what on earth must the bath and bedrooms be like. I dont think I would ask to use the restroom here.

  21. c.w. on January 5th, 2012 8:39 am

    There was a family that lived in Berrydale that has the same last name. Their place always looked like a garbage dump from the outside. Don,t know what the inside looked like but if the outside looked that way the inside did to I bet. If these people are part of the ones from Berrydale they don,t know any better. I,m not defending these two, just making a point.

  22. Lifendason on January 5th, 2012 8:36 am

    If these parents get their kids back I hope they are put on some kind of probation where a social worker comes by the house unannounced every two weeks for at least 6 months to a year.

    Maybe some classes on germs, bacteria, and other diseases that can kill. Neglect is one thing, but murder is another.

    Come on parents, stop being lazy and take charge of your family!

    Here’s a hint, start reading the instruction book on families. The initials and name of the book are B. I. B. L. E.

  23. luLu on January 5th, 2012 8:28 am

    I agree that this is disgusting, but it’s not just the woman’s fault. Men are just as capable of cleaning, taking out the trash and changing a diaper. If one doesn’t do it the other should.

  24. hmm.... on January 5th, 2012 8:14 am

    That is horrible! How hard is it to take the trash out? I would not even subject my dog to such an environment!!! This is just so sad!!!

  25. Grandmother on January 5th, 2012 7:41 am

    Looks like my ex-daughter-in-law’s house keeping. All DCF will say
    is it is no danger to the children. Watch and see.

  26. Jaded on January 5th, 2012 7:27 am

    I wish they would never allow these children to go back to their parents but the sad fact is that this couple will clean up the house and the children will be returned to them. They may watch over them for a few months but they will get lost in the system. The couple may move and not leave a forwarding address, the children will once again be living in a danger zone. Florida took away Grandparent rights a few years back, it violated the parents right to privacy, now our Grandchildren are being raised by children who don’t have to answer to anyone. At least in the past a grandparent could go in and do something about the living conditions.

  27. jennie29 on January 5th, 2012 7:14 am

    Really disgusting. Those parents do no deserve those children.

  28. Lynn Hoskins on January 5th, 2012 6:00 am

    Judging by the outside of a lot of homes in Escambia county, I would be willing to bet there are LOTS of homes in this condition. didnt anyone know??? If I had, you can bet I would have called authorities!!! keeping your children clean and in a clean environment is as important as feeding them, etc. they should be ashamed and so should anyone that knew and did nothing!!! Pitiful and disgusting!!! SMH

  29. michelle on January 5th, 2012 5:53 am

    Its a same that a mother, that does not work, would. Let her family live in garbage!

  30. ohplease on January 5th, 2012 5:49 am

    This is disgusting, human beings, parents st that. Animals live cleaner than that, wild ones at that. Those children deserve better.

  31. Pray for them on January 5th, 2012 3:08 am

    Lord I pray that these two do NOT get their children back. Just looking at the pictures turned my stomach!!!! How can someone be so lazy! There is NO excuse for trash to be piled up like this. My goodness if they can afford Gain laundry detergent surely they could afford a cheap box of trash bags. There is no disgrace in being poor but there is a disgrace in being nasty!!!! I pray where ever these children are now that they are in a clean,stable home.

  32. T2 on January 5th, 2012 12:36 am

    Sorriness and laziness…..Poor children, I hope they find a cleaner and healthier place to live. Very very heartbreaking to know someone doesnt love their children enough to keep things clean so they wont get diseases or have accidents.

  33. justsayin87 on January 5th, 2012 12:14 am

    there is absolutely no sense in this! i mean really….that is down right filthy! i just feel sorry for the kids that have had to live in this mess for a year! it is heart breaking to think that a couple could care so little about not only their babies but themselves….i just cannot imagine living like that! happy that kids are safe for now…and hopefully it stays that way!!!!!