Police bodycam footage has exposed the disturbing scenes inside a home where 13 children were found living in squalor- covered in bug bites, surrounded by filth, human waste, and insect infestations.
The chilling discovery was made on August 10 around 6:30 p.m when police responded to what was initially a routine animal complaint. What they found inside shocked even experienced officers.
According to the Toledo Blade, officers encountered 13 children under the age of 14 living 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 in the kitchen.
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The children bore visible signs of neglect, including numerous bug bites and layers of dirt, suggesting they hadn’t bathed in days.
Animal waste was also found throughout the home in Toledo, Ohio. In police bodycam footage obtained by local CBS affiliate WTOL, one officer is heard reacting with disgust saying: “What is that stench?”
The footage captures several children casually introducing themselves to officers as if unaware of the gravity of their situation.
At one point, an officer turns to a colleague and says, “I need your opinion, I need you to go inside and just look around, and tell me what you're thinking about this entire set up in here.”
When questioned on camera, suspect Angel Oliveri III admitted, “No, I don’t,” when asked if he thought the conditions were fit for children. One officer replied sharply, “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 have been released on their own recognizance (RoR), according to the Toledo Blade. The three adults lived at the residence, and according to Cleveland 19 News, Oliveri shares five children with Cassandra Lambert, while the other eight are the children of Angel Lambert, Cassandra’s sister.
All 13 children have since been removed from the home and placed with another family member, where they are reportedly being well cared for, according to WTVG.
The Toledo Police Department, Lucas County Children Services, and the Toledo Municipal Court have not responded to further inquiries.
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