Gwinnett mother arrested after police saw inside her home

GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — A Gwinnett County mother faces felony charges after allegedly leaving her three children home alone in filthy conditions.

Police said they were called to a Buford neighborhood because of a theft. The case led them to a house where they found three children home alone.

According to police, Araceli Garcia left an 8-year-old, 7-year-old and 3-year-old home alone and the children had not been fed in at least a day-and-a-half.

%

%

“He also said that when he opened up the refrigerator there was spoiled food and moldy food and the food that was left out on the counter had insects crawling all over it,” Gwinnett police Cpl. Michele Pihera said.

Officers said they found clogged toilets and human waste scattered around the house.

“The officer in the report noted that there wasn’t even a large place on the carpet where he could walk around without walking on something,” Pihera said.

Police said items on the floor ranged from dirty clothes to steak knives on the floors of the dining room, living room and bedroom.

“You’ve got to use a mask to get in that house,” one neighbor said.

Neighbors said they’ve been noticing trouble around the house for weeks.

“She’d drive past and see DFACS and hide from them and walk around the back and go in,” the neighbor said.

The children are now in DFACS custody. Garcia is out of jail after posting bond for child cruelty and reckless conduct charges.

Cox Media Group