A Miami Gardens woman was taken into custody after police discovered her nine children living in what authorities described as “deplorable conditions.”
Ashley Lashay Jennings, 30, was arrested on Friday and charged with nine counts of child neglect without great bodily harm, according to arrest records.
Police initially responded to a call regarding a potential altercation near the 17600 block of Northwest 36th Avenue. Upon arrival, officers heard children fighting at a nearby residence on Northwest 37th Avenue, an arrest affidavit stated.
Once inside the home, officers reported a strong odor and observed that the children appeared unbathed and covered in dirt. Conditions inside the house were described as unsanitary — with feces and roaches on the kitchen floor and garbage overflowing from a bedroom and spilling out of closets.
Investigators also noted the refrigerator contained no edible food.
According to the arrest report, Jennings “willfully failed or omitted to provide the victims with the care, supervision, and services necessary,” prompting her arrest and booking into Miami-Dade County Jail.
Jennings appeared in court Sunday, where it was revealed the children range in age from 1 to 10 years old. She was granted pre-trial services but must follow a Department of Children and Families case plan as a condition of her release.
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What happened to the father for these children?