Thank God someone called police last week when they heard babies crying in Apartment 8 at Alpine Villas.
Two toddlers, a 1-year-old boy and 2-year-old girl, were found in a back bedroom of a freezing Augusta apartment, strapped tightly in chairs and crying as they sat wearing only dirty diapers and wet socks. The temperature in the apartment was set at 55, according to a sheriff’s report.
This is one of several stories in this week’s issue of The Jail Report, which is in stores a day early! Cover image: http://thejailreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Cover-Issue-644.jpg
Authorities have charged the live-in boyfriend of the children’s mother, David Bradley Jr., with two counts of cruelty to children in the case. And he is already free on bond!
In a case not covered by any other media, five deputies handled the initial call because of the horror found in the apartment on March 23. The call came in from Crisis Intervention, asking them to do a welfare check on the residence.
A property manager helped them get inside, and the cold temperature hit them instantly when they opened the door. They quickly located the two crying children in the back bedroom. According to a sheriff’s report, this is what the deputies uncovered in the apartment:
• Both children only had on a diaper and both children had on a wet pair of socks.
• Vienna sausages were sitting in their laps as if someone tried to leave the children with food.
• The younger child was strapped into a stroller and the older one was strapped into a high chair. The straps were so tight, both children had visible injuries. A deputy had to use a knife to cut them both out.
• Both children appeared to be hungry, and both children seemed to be suffering from malnutrition.
• Used diapers sat in a pile on the floor in the children’s room.
• There were used liquor bottles on a small table that still had a small amount of liquor inside of them, and they were in reach of both of the children.
A deputy found dry clothes in the children’s room and put them on the children. Officers brought both of the children into the living room and placed cereal in bowls so they could eat.
“The children ate cereal and drank water as if they had not eaten for days,” a sheriff’s report says, adding that the Department of Children and Families were notified immediately.
Officers discovered that the children’s mother, China Harris, and Bradley were both named on the lease and had been living at the residence approximately a year.
DFACS worker Anquavese Jones took custody of the children and had them checked out by EMS. Both children had apparent burn marks on their hands and face, and the boy had similar marks on his penis.
EMS said the boy appeared to be suffering from a dislocated shoulder that healed on its own. He also had bruising around his torso area that indicated someone grabbed him forcefully around his mid-section, a report says.
Jones stated the Department of Children and Families had an open case file against the children’s mother, China Harris. Jones advised she got in contact with Harris, and advised her to return back to her residence because she had taken her children into custody.
China Harris arrived on scene and she was taken into custody for questioning. She was not immediately charged, a report says.
