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May 7, 2008 1:12 pm US/Central
Tip Leads Cops To Children In Filthy Dallas House
Children In Foster Care, Dad In Jail
DALLAS (CBS 11 News) ―
Two children are in state custody and their father is charged with child endangerment.
After an anonymous phone call, police conducted a welfare check to the house on Holmes Street in Dallas where officers found a 2-year-old girl and a 5-year-old boy home alone and on a "soiled" mattress.
Authorities also said there was no edible food or water.
In addition, there was molded trash heaps, numerous razor blades and broken glass in the house with some of the windows boarded up with plywood.
"We found those kids just in the nick of time because they were in a very dangerous situation," said Cpl. Janice Crowther with the Dallas Police Department.
Gregory Amphy, 22, was still in jail Wednesday morning.
During the investigation, police also found a gun on a table.
Police are not sure how long the children were left alone, but noted: the toilet was "filled almost to the top with old human feces."
"Although they appeared dirty and unkempt, they did not have any obvious injuries or medical conditions that required them to be transported to the hospital at that time," explained Marissa Gonzales, Public Information Officer for Texas Department of Family and Protective Services.
Each child also will have a checkup, she added.
Officials are not sure if the 22-year-old Amphy was caring for the children at the house, but reported there has been no electricity on the property since 2002.
CPS confirmed Wednesday that the children's mother has custody, but they she had allowed them to visit with their father for the last several days.
Gonzales said the children were placed in a foster home Tuesday night and would be returned to the family "If either parent is able to give us the name of a suitable relative, that person may be considered for placement of the children."
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