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Couple Charged With Child Neglect After Kids Found In Squalor
January 4, 2012
A Jay couple is facing child neglect charges after deputies found their young children living in a roach-infested home full of trash and decomposing food.
Rebeccah Lynn Ates, 35, and Vance Joseph Ates, 38, were released on bond from the Santa Rosa County Jail.
Deputies had responded to a domestic disturbance when they found two small children in the disturbing living conditions in a home on Highway 4 east of Jay. According to an arrest report, deputies said they were overwhelmed by the smell of urine inside the home and had to step over garbage and clothing in the floor. Deputies also reported observing bags of garbage outside the bathroom, dirty sheets on the beds, and garbage on the living room floor that “contained old food broken glass, crushed soda cans, potato chip bags, candy wrappers and filth”. Children’s toys and clothing were scattered among the garbage and blocked the pathways to and from rooms, according to the Sheriff’s Office report.
In the kitchen, deputies observed old decaying food on the stove top, dirty bowls containing food on the table and garbage covering the floor. A plugged-in electric space heater, according to the report, was also surrounded by garbage, creating a fire hazard.
Rebeccah Ates told deputies that the home had been in the condition for about a year.
Rebeccah Ates also told deputies that the urine smell was coming from her son, which the deputy reported was wearing pants that were wet on the front and back.
“At no time did Rebeccah make any effort to change (her son’s) pants. After several minutes, I had to instruct Rebeccah to change him,” the deputy wrote in her report.
The children were turned over to family members, and the case was turned over to the Department of Children and Families for investigation.
Comments
18 Responses to “Couple Charged With Child Neglect After Kids Found In Squalor”
When I read this I wondered if these parents might be suffering from clinical depression. That makes it difficult for people to motivate themselves to do anything.
Tragic situation for everyone , specially for the .I know its not right to say this but I am gonna say it any way……Oughtta make them live in the far corner of the dump. They look like they could be brother sister or cousins .
I pray that the kids can lead a normal life and the parents can get help .
you are right, the children are the victims here ! Sad, sad, sad. These parents regardless of the financial situation obvisously had food to cook or there would not be dirty dishes so minus a pack of cookies and get some dish liquid ! Lord have mercy !! If you don’t have garbage service burn the trash in a barrall !!!! And change your youngens briches ! if you cant do this then ask the state for some assistance !! There ARE people in churches and the state that WILL help but you have to be NOT lazy enought to ask for help !! NO PITY HERE for anyone but the kids. NO excuse.
I know a family with 15 children ages 18 and younger. Their house is small and may be a little cluttered sometimes, but it is never filthy. It doesn’t stink either. They don’t have a lot of material things, so they cherish what they do have. Mama and Daddy set the example of thrift and caring for what they have, inside and outside the house. Poverty is no shame, but filth due to laziness sure is. Soap and water are relatively cheap and they are activated by elbow grease.
This is truly a shame. I am sure these poor children will be the ones that will get on the school bus and be put through the humliation of having other children not want to share a seat because of the smell, or get to school and have the teacher have to deal with the situation. This is not fair to those poor children. They cannot change their situation. Where are the people that need to be addressing this problem? Making these two sad excuses for parents accountable for abusing these babies…
I understand that they they may have mental capacities, then maybe they shouldn’t be having kids. Also it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to pick up your filth and change you child’s dirty pants! I’m sorry, I have no sympathy for the parents.
REGARDING:
“why would they release these people on bond….that is what is wrong with the system…..noone has to pay for what they did.”
As always and as spelled out in our Constitution, people who have been charged with a crime must be able to be freed until and unless they’ve been convicted.
(Amendment 8 – Cruel and Unusual Punishment. Ratified 12/15/1791.
Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.)
If the accused is a flight risk or a danger upon release, no amount of bail would be excessive but I doubt that would be the case here. They aren’t likely to skip the country or to kill any roaches if released.
If convicted, there may be prison time, fine or probation.
David for reason
why would they release these people on bond….that is what is wrong with the system…..noone has to pay for what they did. instead they release them on bond so the state gets their $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$.
I will address this situation from a different perspective than the other remarks here. According to Webster, ‘hoarder’ is a person who puts away money, food, etc for future use. Today, hoarding is considered a form of mental incapacitation. Maybe they are overwhelmed with their situation and cannot turn it around by themselves. This couple can turn their lives around with some professional help and I pray they get the help they need and go forward to lead productive and happy lives with their children.
I hope someone besides florida children and family services looks into this. This agency is useless and a waste of tax payers money.
This has nothing to do with hoarding, this is just down right filthy people who are subjecting their innocent children to their own sorriness!
This is another case in point where some people do not deserve the blessing of children.
They should be ashamed of themselves. Just because you’re a sorry piece of trash doesn’t mean you subject your children to the same. As a responsible parent you want better for your children then you have for yourself. That includes living conditions.
Here’s a tip, throw away your garbage, wash your dishes, and take care of your kids!
Reports like this infuriate me!
/end ranting
In asddition to everything else, that place
was a fire just waiting to happen.
Take the kids away PERMANENTLY !!!
“The children were turned over to family members….” Have the family members been to this house in the past year? If they have, why didn’t they do anything to change this situation then? If they haven’t been there in a year then why did the kids get turned over to them?
there is no excuse AT all FOR THIS !!!! this is terrible, those poor children, sad thing is the parents will prob get them right back !
Can you imagine what “Monk” would have done if he’d walked in a place like that? How can people live in that filth? And make poor little children, who have no choice, live in it. That is the height of laziness and just being no account – my grandma would have said. These people need more than ‘Hoarders’.
Shame on them; poor babies… This awful!
Hoarders from A&E shoulda been called
Oh my those poor children..i hope these kids get the proper care and love with the family members they we’re sent with..hope this couple gets the guidence to properly take on responsibilty for these kids.