HENDERSON, Ky. (WEHT) — Evansville Police say a child had to be removed from a home after officers went inside and found it was filled with trash and feces.
According to an affidavit, Child Protective Services received a call on Wednesday about a young child that had been left home alone. The CPS worker told police that the house had no running electricity or water.
Officers investigated and spoke with the mother, 30-year-old Rachel Cleek. According to EPD, she told officers that she had picked up her 8-year-old son early from school because he was sick and returned to work afterwards.
When asked about the lack electricity and running water, Cleek told officer she could not afford to fix the home’s pipes or electricity.
Cleek let the officers inside and were immediately met by an overwhelming odor of urine and feces, as reported in a police report. Officers say dirty clothing and trash littered the house, making it difficult to walk around without stepping on trash or uneaten food.
Police say dog feces covered the home’s floors. At one point, the child allegedly picked up dog feces off the floor with his hands. According to an affidavit, one of the rooms was completely inaccessible due to the amount of trash inside it.
Cleek told officers that her and her son mostly ate fast food due to the electricity being out, and she had no way of washing dishes.
Officers found a bathroom only a few feet away from the refrigerator that had human feces overflowing from it. EPD determined the toilet hadn’t been emptied in weeks.
Cleek told police she would normally take her son to the gas station to use the restroom, but there were times he had to defecate in the backyard.
The child was removed from the home and placed into the care of his father. Rachel Cleek was booked into the Vanderburgh County Jail on no charges and faces a “neglect of dependent” charge.