Overview
- The children, ages 1 to 9, were discovered Monday by a neighborhood worker and police who reported they were malnourished, partially clothed or naked, and living without food, water, electricity, beds or working appliances.
- Police charged the mother, Teonna Brown, with six counts of child neglect and a judge ordered her held without bond and barred from contacting the children after a Wednesday court appearance.
- Medical teams evaluated the children for signs of neglect and the oldest child was released to a grandmother while the other five were placed with an aunt.
- A city building inspector condemned the rowhouse because of unsafe and unsanitary conditions and gas-line concerns, and city records show the family was placed in the unit in April through a crisis housing program.
- Mayor Brandon Scott ordered immediate inspections of other city-contracted placement homes and directed investigations into the landlord and the Department of Housing and Community Development to determine who failed to act and what accountability is needed.