Police: Children pulled from dirty home containing animal feces - NBC12.com - Richmond, VA News

Spotsylvania Sheriff's officers pulled eight children from a home they described as too dirty, even for animals.

Crystal Craig, 29, and Amy Lam, 38, live together, each with their children. The women rent a house on the 10,700 block of Courthouse Road. Now, they face several counts of child abuse, one for each of their children. Lam is also facing charges for animal abuse.

The investigation sparked Sunday morning, when one of Craig's children was discovered wandering naked in the Wawa parking lot next door. The two-year-old girl was noticed by a store clerk, who then called police.

Spotsylvania Sheriff's Captain Mike Harvey said the girl led officers to her home nearby. Officers say they found the front door to the home slightly open. They say they believe the little girl wandered out, into the busy Wawa parking lot, along busy Courthouse Road.

"Without that clerk, it could have turned tragic very quickly," said Harvey.

The girl brought officers to her home, next door. Harvey said the officer had to wait several minutes for the door to be answered.

"When the door opened, the deputy immediately had a strong odor of rotting food, garbage, animal waste," continued Harvey.

It's in those conditions, where the child lived with her two siblings, belonging to Craig. Amy Lam has five children.

"Animal feces all over the floor, garbage all over the kitchen, perishable food out and rotting," described Harvey of what he said the officers witnessed.

Deputies found seven dogs, two kittens and some children of the children having lice. They say one infant was found filthy in a crib, who hadn't been bathed in a while.

Crystal Craig's family says she's a single mother, battling brain tumors. They say she works nights as a waitress, and struggles to support her children. Crystal's family says Amy Lam, her friend, left her part of the house messy with the animals. We weren't able to get in touch Lam's relatives.

However, all of the children have now been placed with their grandparents.

Bond has been set for both mothers. Representatives for Child Protective Services say it's too early in the court process to say when, or if, the children will return to their parents.

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