You wouldn’t even keep a dog in a place like this.
Police described it as one of the worst living conditions they have ever seen.
Images show the American home falling apart at the seams: The sink filled with waste, trash and debris blocking almost every entrance, and faeces smeared across the floor.
Disturbingly, this was not an empty house. It was home to a seven-year-old child and her family.
Police in Newburyport, Massachusetts received an anonymous tip-off last week concerning the welfare of the little girl, The Newburyport News reports.
When they attended the home, they were horrified to find the residents living in absolute squalour. Garbage, broken furniture, discarded clothes an children’s toys covered the home, and only a 30-centimetre path allowed police to navigate through the mountains of mess.
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Police said they could not move due the “sheer volume of stuff”, and described it as “unsanitary.”
“It was one of the worst living conditions I have ever witnessed,” policeman Kevin Martin said.
Once inside the three-bedroom house, police were only able to step foot in the room belonging to the little girl as the others were blocked by garbage. She was found to be sleeping on a mattress on the floor as her bed was broken and covered in trash.
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Four generations of the Paquette family were found living in the house: Debra Paquette, 54, Kristen Paquette, 32, and the seven-year-old girl. The fourth family member was currently residing in a medical centre, The Newburyport News reports.
A cat and a dog were also recovered in the home.
The girl has been temporarily relocated to a hotel with one parent.
Authorities are yet to determine if they will pursue charges of reckless endangerment of a child against the girl’s mother and grandmother.
The Paquettes have up to three days to collect their belongings, and have been advised to have a company clean the home.
Once it has been cleared, the family may be allowed to return.
Child wise national child abuse prevention hotline: 1800 99 10 99
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Top Comments
As a woman who is unable to have a child of my own, this makes me furious and the child will more than likely be allowed to return to the neglectful parents. While I live in Australia and it is almost impossible to adopt a child here, there are many people like me who would be able to give this child and others in similar situations a stable and loving home. Politicians around the world need to stand up and fight for the most basic human rights of children and write laws to ensure they are able to grow up in loving and stable homes.
hoarding really is a completely debilitating mental illness. I do hope the parents are ready to get the help they so desperately need for that little girls sake.
I'm really confused as to why it is still regarded as acceptable to cast moral judgement and say things like 'You wouldn’t even keep a dog in a place like this.' when discussing the house of a person with this illness. And it is clear this person is assumed by the editor to have the condition, since the related stories are about hoarding.
I'm terribly sad forthe child, and hope the parents can be offered support, and I don't know whether there are other factors involved here.. but even the decision to focus on the house rather than the child's neglect, sensationalising with unnecessary photos of messy rooms and squalor, stigmatising people with mental illness.
Im confused as to if you don't think the description of the house given by authorities would indicate that someone in the house was afflicted with a hoarding addiction? Yep I too don't think comment like that aren't helpful and agree there is most likely too issues a serious mental health disorder and neglect of a child by the people suffering from the disorder. You are correct that we don't know if otherwise its a generally loving relationship etc. either way the family needs help and I do hope they get it as a clear out of the home by the council is not going to "fix" the issues they are facing.