Police bodycam footage has revealed the shocking conditions inside a home in Toledo, Ohio, where 13 children were found living in squalor, covered in bug bites and surrounded by human faeces and insect infestations.
The discovery was made on August 10 around 6:30 p.m. when police responded to an animal complaint. According to the Toledo Blade, officers found 13 children under the age of 14 in what authorities described as 'deplorable conditions that put their health and safety at risk.'
Local ABC News affiliate WTVG reported that the house had multiple insect infestations, human faeces on the floor, no working toilet or shower, and an apparent lack of food. The children bore visible signs of neglect, including numerous bug bites and layers of dirt.
In the bodycam footage, an officer is heard saying, 'What is that stench?' The footage shows children casually introducing themselves to officers, seemingly unaware of the gravity of their situation. When asked if the conditions were fit for children, suspect Angel Oliveri III admitted, 'No, I don't.' An officer replied, 'It's one thing if adults want to live in filth… These kids didn't sign up for that.'
Angel Lambert, 32, has been charged with eight counts of child endangerment. Cassandra A. Lambert, 27, and Angel Oliveri III, 25, face five counts each. All three pleaded not guilty and were released on their own recognizance, according to the Toledo Blade. The three adults lived at the residence; Oliveri shares five children with Cassandra Lambert, while the other eight are the children of Angel Lambert, Cassandra's sister.
All 13 children have been removed from the home and placed with another family member, where they are reportedly being well cared for, according to WTVG.
