Council Bluffs woman pleads guilty to neglect after urine, feces, trash found in home

COUNCIL BLUFFS — A Council Bluffs woman pleaded guilty in court Tuesday to a charge of neglect after police found that she and others had been living in a home full of feces, urine and trash. According to Council Bluffs police, officers responded to an apartment near Second Avenue and 34th Street on Jan. 30. Police learned that a child living at the residence had a very strong “death and rotting flesh” odor coming from his body, resulting in him being isolated socially from his peers, a police report said. At the apartment, officers immediately could smell the strong odor of ammonia. They made contact with the child’s mother, who allowed officers and a Department of Human Services employee into the apartment. Inside the residence, officers found that the woman, a child, the woman’s boyfriend and the woman’s mother were living there, along with four dogs. Police found a large amount of animal urine and feces in the apartment, while larger amounts were located in the back bedroom, where two of the dogs were locked up. The woman told police the dogs had not been outside “in a while” because of the cold weather. In the living room, officers found a rocking chair that the woman’s mother slept in. Animal feces, trash and clothing were around the chair. Located next to the rocking chair was a bucket used by the woman’s mother as a toilet. “It appeared she very rarely left the chair she was in,” the report said. On the kitchen walls were smeared feces, while the kitchen sink and counters had dishes and food that “appeared to have been there for days.” Smashed roaches were found by the reporting officer in the door jam of the front door. Authorities removed the dogs, which showed signs of malnutrition. The residence was tagged as inhospitable while the child was removed from the woman’s care. The Department of Human Services turned the child over to a family member. Tuesday, the woman received a 10-year deferred judgment with two years probation. According to the Pottawattamie County Attorney's Office, the mother and child have been reunited and are living in a clean apartment with the boyfriend. The grandmother is also living in an appropriate environment, and the dogs have been placed in new homes. DHS is still involved with the family.