Leslie West, age 34, of 1707 Ridge St., was on Thursday arrested on an outstanding Fayette County warrant after authorities discovered two of her children, along with a third child for whom she is the legal guardian, were living in conditions authorities describe as “deplorable.” Sgt. Kelly McKinney said she intends to seek three additional arrest warrants on charges of first degree cruelty to children. Photo credit: Sheila Mathews
SHEILA A. MATHEWS :::
Three children were removed from their home Wednesday when the Griffin Police Department and the Spalding County Department of Family and Children Services (DFCS) discovered they were living in conditions authorities describe as “deplorable.”
Sgt. Kelly McKinney, of the GPD Criminal Investigation Division, said she and other law enforcement personnel responded to the residence located at 1707 Ridge St. when DFCS employees were denied access to conduct a welfare check.
“DFCS called because they (the residents) slammed the door in their face. They were doing a welfare check, which they had made multiple attempts to do before, but they would never open the door,” McKinney said. “Yesterday, the homeowner opened the door and invited DFCS in. At that time, the mother of two of the juveniles – and she has custody of the third child – told the homeowner, who’s 81-years-old to shut the door and not let them in without a warrant. That’s when they (DFCS) contacted myself and Sgt. Karen Yancy.”
The elderly homeowner, Agnes Janette Huckaby, also denied entry to law enforcement personnel, stating they would have to obtain a search warrant.
Yancy left the scene and soon obtained a search warrant, but entry still was not immediately granted.
Investigators and DFCS employees had remained at the residence, so it was known Huckaby and the children’s mother and legal guardian, 34-year-old Leslie West, were inside. However, investigators knocked and announced themselves for approximately ten minutes before Huckaby allowed them entrance.
“The residence had an awful stench through the home to the point officers couldn’t enter without Tyvek (protective) suits. It was deplorable, with pet feces and urine all over the home, it was roach infested and there was garbage and molded, rotten food throughout,” McKinney said. “Once suited up, officers still were forced to exit the home multiple times and re-enter.”
Altogether, four adults – Agnes Janette Huckaby, West, April Huckaby and Zane Huckaby – resided in the home and were aware of the conditions in which the three children were living.
City of Griffin Animal Control also responded to the Ridge Street residence and removed 11 dogs and five cats that were living contained inside the home.
West was arrested at the scene for an outstanding failure to appear warrant out of Fayette County, and McKinney said she will be seeking additional warrants for three counts of first degree cruelty to children.
“This is their home. These children didn’t have a choice. This was their normal,” she said.
The investigation remains active and ongoing, and The Grip will follow up with new reports as additional information becomes available.
