Three adults were arrested in Commerce recently after police discovered five children, ages 6 months to 8 years, living in what officers described as “deplorable” conditions.
Police responded to a house on Cole Court Drive after someone reported children roaming the neighborhood unsupervised, including one with a sagging diaper. Neighbors told officers the children were “very dirty,” often barefoot, and frequently asked for food and water. Officers also found two dogs tied outside without food or water.
Inside the home, investigators reported overwhelming odors of urine and feces, trash scattered across the kitchen floor, no refrigerator, feces smeared on walls, and a toilet overflowing with waste. Cockroaches and gnats were also present.
Authorities said one child appeared to have visible bruises. The Division of Family and Children Services (DFCS) examined each child for injuries and signs of malnourishment.
The adults arrested were identified as Tyler Michael Waddell, 26; Brittany Madison Stephenson, 24, the mother of all five children; and Terry William Broome, 25, father of two of the children. Stephenson was initially allowed to remain until relatives and DFCS arrived. The children were placed in the custody of their godfather.
All three face charges of first‑degree cruelty to children and two counts of cruelty to animals.