Mother Faces Multiple Charges After Special Needs Children Found in Deplorable Conditions
A 35-year-old mother from Michigan has been arrested and charged with serious offences after two children with special needs were discovered living in appalling conditions, allegedly left home alone for several days. Krystal Farmer faces two counts of child abandonment and four counts of child abuse following the disturbing discovery.
Neighbour's Concern Leads to Horrific Discovery
The children's plight came to light when a concerned neighbour contacted police requesting a welfare check. Responding officers found a scene of utter squalor, with rubbish covering floors so thickly that officers reported being unable to take normal steps through the property.
Police described finding human faeces smeared on walls, no cooked food available, and one child attempting to eat raw, spoiled meat. The other child was discovered curled up on a bedroom floor, with both youngsters showing signs of severe neglect. A sink tap had been left running, spilling water across the already filthy floor.
Children Immediately Removed to Safety
Authorities confirmed that the children were immediately removed from the Michigan home and are now safe. Police body camera footage captured the moment of discovery, showing one child naked and another covered in faeces.
"There were no clean clothes folded on the bed. No food in the kitchen ready for small stomachs. No phone, no tablet, no way for those children to reach the outside world," police stated in an official release. "It was a house that had been reduced to survival conditions, and two vulnerable children were left inside it alone."
Mother Allegedly Lied to Investigators
Investigators allege that Farmer lied to officers when initially questioned about the children's welfare. Through their investigation, police determined she had left the two special needs children home alone for multiple days without proper care or supervision.
Police have commended the actions of the neighbour who made the initial 911 call, stating: "Because one neighbor acted, two children were rescued from conditions no human being should endure. See something. Say something. That single call made all the difference."
Recent Similar Case in Michigan
This incident follows another recent case in Michigan where three children were discovered living in what authorities described as "absolute squalor" after being left alone for approximately two years. In that separate investigation, a 15-year-old boy and two girls aged 13 and 12 were found in a Pontiac residence strewn with human waste, mould, and rubbish piled up to four feet high in places.
The children in that case claimed they had been abandoned by their mother in either 2020 or 2021 and had been surviving on food left weekly on their front porch. They displayed severely matted hair, overgrown toenails that made walking difficult, and lacked basic knowledge of hygiene practices.
Both cases highlight ongoing concerns about child welfare and the critical importance of community vigilance in protecting vulnerable children from neglect and abuse.
