A Georgia grandma called 911 for assistance with her rambunctious grandchildren, but the parents were arrested after authorities say they kept their three children in a filthy home where they stockpiled air conditioning and food for themselves.
Steve Bailey, 61, and Jessica Marie Bailey, 40, were arrested and charged with three counts of first-degree cruelty to children, deprivation of necessary nourishment, and three counts of second-degree cruelty to children, criminal negligence, according to records obtained by Law&Crime.
According to a probable cause affidavit, deputies from the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office arrived at a home on White Rose Lane, roughly 40 miles west of Atlanta, after receiving a call from a mother seeking assistance with her grandkids. The mom requested that a deputy speak with her 10-year-old grandson and convince him to stop riding his bike on Highway 113.
When deputies arrived, they discovered three unaccompanied adolescents who verified that they were alone. The children stated that their grandmother lived next door but had already gone home.
The deputies went next door, where the grandmother informed them that the grandchildren’s parents were mostly absent and that she was “tired of taking care of all these kids.” She also stated that it was so hot in the trailer where the children stayed with their parents that they frequently slept on the floor, which was marginally cooler.
After officers notified the Department of Family and Child Services, Jessica Bailey returned home, shouting at the children and demanding, “Do you want to go back to foster care?” She then permitted the deputies to enter the trailer.
“Upon my initial entry, the overwhelming odor of animal urine and poop made it hard to breathe through my nose,” the deputy noted in the affidavit. “I noticed how hot it was inside the residence, as (the grandmother) stated,” pointing out that it was comparable to “being inside a vehicle on a hot summer day with no airflow.”
According to Lawandcrime, deputies discovered the fridge with “heavy-duty” locks and two sealed doors, one belonging to Jessica and Steve Bailey and the other to Jessica Bailey’s daughter, who was “in boot camp.”
When deputies entered the parents’ room, the air conditioner was set at 54 degrees. The room was referred to as “WAY colder than the entire trailer.” Police reported finding a “fully stocked” mini fridge in the parents’ bedroom.
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Jessica Bailey allegedly stated that she only receives $1,350 in food stamps per month, and that “the kids eat all the food, so Steve (Bailey) put a lock on the fridge and freezer in hopes of making the food last longer.” However, deputies stated that there was “no food located in the kitchen cabinets besides sauces.”
The parents were arrested and transported to the Carroll County Jail. Both have now been released on bond. It was not immediately apparent when they were supposed to appear in court.