Police find dead teen, 7 children alive in ‘deplorable, unsafe’ Idaho home
ADA COUNTY, Idaho (ABC4) — A teenager was found dead Thursday morning in a home police described as being in “deplorable, unsafe” conditions.
Just before 8:20 a.m. Thursday, a caretaker called Ada County Dispatch to report they had found their young teenage son dead in their home on West Russett Street in Boise, Idaho. When officers responded, they said they found seven children alive, as well as the deceased teen.
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Special Victims Unit Lieutenant Josiah Ransom said the home’s conditions were “some of the worst he has seen in his career,” and not fit for habitation by anyone, let alone children.
“The smell of the home was also nauseating to officers on scene,” the press release states.
Following an investigation, police said the seven children will be placed into the custody of the Department of Health and Welfare.
“It is always troubling when a young person dies and our officers and detectives are working diligently to determine what factors may have contributed to this situation and what, if anything, could have been done to prevent it,” Boise Police Chief Ron Winegar said. “We will not know until the investigation is complete if this teen’s death was due to an ongoing medical situation/complication, or some other contributing factor, and I express my sympathy for the passing of this young boy.”
Boise Police Violent Crime Detectives, who investigate all unattended deaths in circumstances such as these, are being assisted by Special Victims Unit Detectives in this investigation, the press release states. Special Victims Unit Detectives normally investigate cases of potential child neglect or injury. Additionally, the Ada County Coroner’s Office is also working to determine the cause and manner of death in this case.
“All those affiliated with the household have been cooperative in the investigation as police work to determine exactly what caused this young person’s death,” the press release states.
No charges have been filed in this case at this time.
There is no further information available at this time.
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