A 12-year-old girl wearing nothing but a diaper ran away from home… when police stepped inside, they immediately called it a “house of horr0.rs”
A 12-YEAR-OLD girl with special needs was allegedly forced to sleep locked inside a dog kennel for more than a year in a poop-covered home crammed with around 80 animals.
The reportedly malnourished child’s alleged ordeal was uncovered after she vanished from the home wearing only a diaper, sparking a frantic search.
A 12-year-old special-needs girl was allegedly locked inside a dog kennel for a year in a filthy, animal-hoarded home in Joplin, MissouriCredit: Google Maps
The girl’s adoptive mother, 46-year-old Crystal RossCredit: Joplin Police
The girl’s adoptive dad Shane Ross, 50Credit: Joplin Police
Cops in Joplin, Missouri, were called at around 8am on Sunday after a family reported the girl had already been missing for about an hour.
The child, who has special needs including autism, was believed to possibly be near Landreth Park, according to police.
Officers launched a massive search amid fears for her safety, with off-duty cops, the Jasper County’s Sheriff’s Office, a drone and railroad workers joining the effort.
The girl was eventually found around two-and-a-half hours after cops were called and was given medical attention pre-emptively due to the climbing temperatures outside.
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But police claim the case then took a horrifying turn as they discovered the conditions the youngster had allegedly been living in.
Chief Dr Richard Pearson said officers became increasingly concerned after seeing the family home on East Pool Street.
Bodycam footage reportedly showed dirty clothes piled throughout the property, while faeces and urine were scattered around the house, according to Fox 2 Now.
Around 80 animals were found living inside and outside the home, with some allegedly roaming freely and others kept in cages.
Animal control officers also discovered six dead animals, according to police.
Investigators said the living animals included five dogs, 19 cats, three rabbits, 46 fowl, five turtles and a pig.
Police claim evidence gathered during the investigation indicated the 12-year-old was malnourished and had been subjected to neglect and abuse for an extended period.
Most disturbingly, cops allege the girl had been made to sleep inside a locked dog kennel at night for more than a year, Fox 2 Now reported.
The youngster’s adoptive sister Hannah Ross, 25Credit: Joplin Police
Megan Ross, 19, is the girl’s other adoptive sisterCredit: Joplin Police
Pearson described the property as a “house of horrors” and said some officers regarded it as among the worst child abuse scenes they had encountered.
He said: “It’s important to realize and get it out there that this is not normal behavior for citizens of the city of Joplin. This is an anomaly. This is not who we are as a people. This is not who we are as a city.
“Many of my staff who were on scene at this location say that this represented one of the worst cases and incidents of child abuse that they have seen in their time here in Joplin.”
The girl was taken into protective custody as authorities worked to ensure she was safe from any further alleged abuse.
Officials said she is receiving resources and support for her immediate and ongoing needs.
Four adult relatives who lived at the property have since been arrested.
Police identified the girl’s adoptive parents as Crystal Ross, 46, and Shane Ross, 50.
Her adoptive sisters, Hannah ross, 25, and Megan Ross, 19, were also arrested.
The Jasper County Prosecutor’s Office filed no-bond warrants for all four suspects on felony Child Abuse and Neglect and Animal Neglect and Abandonment charges, according to police.
Meanwhile, the surviving animals were removed from the property and taken to the Joplin Humane Society after being surrendered by the family.
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They are now receiving care and could eventually be put up for adoption.
The investigation remains active, with police saying additional charges are being considered.
SOURCE: THE SUN
https://www.the-sun.com/news/16824741/missouri-house-horrors-special-needs-girl-locked-kennel/
