Three adults have been arrested in Florida on child neglect charges after two young children were discovered living in deplorable conditions.
Bay County Sheriff Tommy Ford announced the arrests following a disturbing discovery at a home on Terrell Street. Deputies responded to calls from neighbors who reported two children, ages 4 and 5, crying for help from a broken window.
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Upon arrival, deputies found the children locked in a filthy, bug-infested bedroom with no heat or bathroom facilities.
The door was secured with a steel cable, and the room was littered with trash and cockroaches. The children told investigators they were often locked in the room overnight and were “freezing” due to the lack of heat.
The children’s parents, Kathy and John Merrill, both face child neglect charges. They admitted to locking the children in the room every night since 2023 and were aware of the unsanitary conditions.
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The paternal grandfather, Michael Beaubien, who also resided in the home, was charged with failure to report child neglect.
The children have been removed from the home and are in the custody of the Department of Children and Families.
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