Sparksville Couple Arrested For Child Neglect
A Sparksville couple was arrested Monday after police found their 18-month-old child in a home with trash, roaches and feces.
They were jailed at the Jackson County Detention Center.
According to a Jackson County Police report, officers were called to the home of 58-year-old Johnny Tucker and 25-year-old Christina Tucker, after someone reported that an 18-month-old child had been living “in horrible living conditions” in a home on West Second Street in Sparksville with “a strong smell” coming from it.
The officer says he and another officer showed up at the home and immediately noticed cameras on the house.
“We walked up to the front door and could smell a very strong odor of what smelled like trash, and we noticed several roaches outside,” the officer wrote in his report.
Police say Christina Tucker answered the door, and when she was told that the officers were there to investigate the living conditions, she allegedly replied, “Yeah, we’re still cleaning and stuff.”
The officers also told her that they needed to see her child because they had received reports that the child was suffering from a diaper rash. Which police found was true.
At that point, police say Christina Tucker began crying uncontrollably, telling the officers that they had just moved in. She also begged them not to take her baby.
When officers entered the home the stench was so bad, “it was hard to breathe,” and trash and dishes were stacked everywhere.
Police found Johnny Tucker lying on a mattress on the floor.
Police were then given permission to look around and take photos.
While taking photographs both inside and out of the residence, police found the floor falling through, several bugs and roaches, trash piled up, dirty dished with food and bugs on them, the only toilet full of feces, and in front of the toilet was toilet paper with feces all over it, stacked several feet high. There was also toilet paper with feces on it being walked on in the bathroom and hallway.
The Tuckers told police several times that they were trying to clean up the mess.
The officer told them it didn’t appear that they were trying to clean up the mess and that he would have to contact Child Protective Services due to the living conditions.
Christina Turner told police that the couple had spoken to CPS s before and the worker said it wasn’t the worst they had seen.
When Johnny Tucker was told that that the living conditions were bad, he allegedly responded, “Yeah, I know it’s bad.”
Both parents told the officers that they would work in cleaning the home while they waited for Child Protective Services to arrive.
When a representative from Child Protective Services did arrive, the Tuckers were told that their child would be taken from them. Immediately afterward, the child was taken to a car outside. His diaper had to be changed immediately, because it was full.
On Aug. 10, the officer requested that both Johnny and Christine Tucker be charged with neglect of a dependent.
51644 – William Darnell
