Florida woman arrested after 6-year-old is found covered in fleas, living among piles of feces
FORT WALTON BEACH, FLORIDA: A woman has been arrested after a 6-year-old child was found covered in fleas inside a home. The woman had also forced the child to "live in squalor". Authorities were called to look into Toni Reid's home located in Fort Walton Beach, Florida on April 22. They came to find the horrifying and dirty conditions that Reid was living in.
The deputies with the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office visited Reid's home after she called them to say that a child locked her outside the home, as per a news release from OCSC. Upon entering the home, the police found piles of feces and urine, The Sun reports.
Some of it had even begun to mold. The authorities also found the 6-year-old child hiding inside a closet in the home. The child's gender and relation to 58-year-old Reid have not been disclosed. As per reports, the child's room had a bare mattress with large holes and uncovered inner springs.
While deputies were at the home, they also reported to becoming covered in fleas, CBS 12 reports. Knives had been discovered within the child's reach while there were dangerous chemicals kept on the kitchen counters, the police revealed.
"Fleas were found on the child and deputies also reported becoming covered in fleas while at the residence," the police added. They also shared that three dogs had been found inside the home. One was a 17-year-old dog that was covered in flies and was unable to walk.
Reid was arrested and taken to the Okaloosa County Jail on a warrant for her arrest. She has been charged with felony child neglect. The Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office took to their Facebook page and shared a post on the case where many social media users commented. Many praised the County sheriff's office as well. One such user shared, "So thankful Okaloosa county sheriff's office rescued this poor baby! So sorry for this child. It's hard to believe that people are that sorry. Praying for the child and poor animals that was living in this filth."
Another added, "Thank you OCSO for saving this child!" A third user wrote, " I hope that child is able to have the best life possible now. My heart hurts hearing this."
Earlier in April, we had reported another horrific case of child neglect. A 22-year-old woman from Citrus County in Florida was arrested for allegedly kicking a minor boy so hard that it tore his small intestines. Kimberly Darnell Taschereau, 22, was booked by Citrus County Sheriff’s Office deputies after the child claimed she kicked him in the stomach and “hurt my tummy”.
The sheriff's office had initially been contacted by the Florida Department of Children and Families about a possible child abuse case in Hernando County hospital on March 3 when Taschereau first brought the child to an urgent care facility as he was vomiting.
The minor also told investigators that the 22-year-old kicked him four times in the tummy and demonstrated the kicks by stomping on the floor. Deputies arrested Taschereau and she was taken to the Citrus County jail without bond.