Halfway2sane

Children rescued from Florida House of Horror

Four children, including one that was adopted and one being a newborn, were removed from a “house of horrors” that was allegedly ridden with animal feces and black mold, Florida authorities said. 

Detectives responded to a home after a Department of Children and Families caseworker found that Jodie Cannon’s 6-week-old child was severely underweight and had a case of diaper rash and she allegedly refused to seek medical attention.

Deputies executed a search warrant on the home and described the inside as “deplorable living conditions.” They said the home had an unsafe ceiling repair, black mold, rotting floors and animal feces throughout.

Authorities said a mattress on the floor where one of the children slept was swarming with flies. There was also uneaten food on dishes with flies and cockroaches.

Parents Jodie Cannon, 26, and Jordon Wilson, 30, along with Jodie’s mother, Melissa Keal, 50, and her stepfather, John Keal, 52—were arrested on child neglect charges, according to the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office. It is unclear whether they have entered pleas, and their attorneys did not immediately return requests for comment. Jodie was charged with two felony counts of child neglect. The others were also charged with neglect because they lived in the home with the children and also failed to provide for them.

The Sheriff said, “Words cannot describe the house of horrors these children were living in.”

Inside, officers encountered what they described as “deplorable” conditions, according to the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office. Floors in several rooms, including a bathroom, were rotting, partly due to water from broken pipes. The ceiling had been repaired in an unsafe way, with visible signs of black mold covered with white paint. While Melissa and John Keal reportedly slept on couches, the infant was placed on a “filthy mattress on the floor that was swarming with flies. There was an infestation of flies not only in the living room, but also in the kitchen and hallway. There were also cockroaches in Jordon’s room, which contained uneaten food left on dishes.

Wilson’s bedroom was reportedly “in cluttered, deplorable conditions,” with flies and cockroaches present throughout the space. The residence’s refrigerator reportedly held “barely enough food for all four people to eat” and gave off such a repulsive smell that it “almost made a SWAT team member vomit,” investigators documented.

Four dogs and three kittens were voluntarily surrendered to Putnam County Animal Services.  “These animals will be evaluated and placed for adoption with healthy homes. Due to the voluntary surrender, detectives are not pursuing animal neglect charges.”

“Animal feces and urine everywhere, black mold, flies – small children trying to navigate hazardous flooring conditions – and the sad part is they have grown around all of this, not knowing they were dealt the absolute worst conditions I can imagine living in a First World country.”

When the baby was finally admitted to the hospital, the baby had a low heart rate, low temperature and low weight. The infant fell below the fifth percentile. “It was determined that without intervention, the infant could have died.”

Deputies say the baby is now gaining weight and “thriving.”

The children have all been placed in foster care.

“I applaud those who have stepped up to show these young children what a safe home, family and love should look like. The children and the foster parents caring for them have a long road ahead of them.”

WEST VIRGINIA HOUSE OF HORROR

A West Virginia couple face charges of child neglect and animal cruelty after authorities discovered a young child residing in a repulsive house filled with waste, insect infestations and decaying garbage and vomit.

Dakota McIe, 23, and Ciarra Lacey, 22, were arrested following an investigation by the Upshur County Sheriff’s Office.

The investigation began on August 5 when a concerned witness provided deputies with video footage recorded inside the couple’s home. The caller told authorities that the residence lacked air conditioning, that part of the restroom was completely unusable and that the overwhelming odor inside induced nausea.

When deputies executed a search warrant at the home, they observed conditions matching the video evidence.

Also in the home, animals were “confined inside a pen without visible food or water,” which showed the animals “standing and walking in accumulated urine.

Official court records state that animal feces covered the floor, including areas immediately next to the child’s bed and crib. Investigators also documented swarms of flies in the kitchen, human vomit inside the home and piles of rotting garbage.

Child Protective Services was called to the scene, and custody of the child was taken to a grandparent. Animal Control officers were also brought in to seize three dogs found locked in pens where urine had accumulated.

McIe posted a $5,000 bond on Aug. 11, while Lacey remains held at the Tygart Valley Regional Jail on a $30,000 cash-only bond.

ONE YEAR OLD DIES AFTER EATING FECES FILLED DIAPER

Mason Anders “Bubba” Moulding, a 1‑year‑old from Scottsville, Kentucky, died on Monday, July 27, 2026 after being found unresponsive at his home on Cottage Drive. He was pronounced dead at the Medical Center at Scottsville, with reports citing suspicious trauma, including mouth bleeding and body bruising.

On Monday, August 3, detectives with the Allen County–Scottsville Criminal Investigations Division obtained an arrest warrant charging Deavan Williams, 22, with murder in connection with the death of one-year-old Mason Moulding.

Deavan’s girlfriend, Alexandrae Price, 22, the boy’s mother, was arrested on July 27 and charged with child abuse, according to online court records.

On July 31, authorities also arrested Tina Price (51), Mason’s grandmother, charging her with first‑degree criminal abuse, multiple counts of animal cruelty, and neglect of vulnerable adults.

The investigation established that on July 27, Mason was last seen alive and behaving normally earlier that afternoon while at Food Lion with his mother, Alexandrae Price. Alexandrae Price later left for work, leaving Mason exclusively in the care of Williams.

Deavan was taking care of the boy while Alexandrae was at work when the boy fell unconscious after eating a feces-filled diaper inside of his playpen, according to the warrant.

Deavan told police he fell asleep while the baby “consumed portions of a feces-contaminated diaper” and choked.

Deavan admitted he was Mason’s primary caregiver and the only adult supervising him during the time period immediately before the child’s collapse.

During multiple interviews, Deavan provided “materially inconsistent accounts regarding the events leading to Mason’s injuries.

Investigators say they found signs of ongoing neglect.

“A physical inspection and interviews revealed Deavan knowingly subjected the child under twelve to extreme endangerment and cruel punishment, residing in an un-air-conditioned garage filled with trash, beer cans, soiled diapers, and heavy cat urine, where the infant’s playpen sat directly on the contaminated floor.”

According to police, Deavan said he and Alexandrae used an outdoor garden hose to bathe the boy and that he was “surprised the baby did not have parasites due to the filth, and that he knew the baby had been eating a feces-filled diaper inside the playpen prior to becoming unresponsive.”

It was also stated that the living area had flies and spiders. A large amount of trash and debris was also found in the living area, posing significant health hazards. The living area was also reported to have high moisture levels and poor ventilation, posing a health hazard.

Deavan also admitted to committing dangerous and abusive behavior towards the child, “including intentionally feeding him extremely spicy foods despite Alexandrae Price telling him to stop… and acknowledging that the child routinely consumed diapers, couch cushions, and other unsafe objects.”

According to the warrant, the child was kept in a playpen in an environment contaminated by animal urine, animal feces, raw sewage, decomposing animals, and other hazardous conditions that Deavan Williams personally described as containing pathogens and parasites.

On July 31, Allen County Animal Control responded to the residence on Cottage Drive and removed a total of 3 dogs, 12 cats, and 1 opossum from the home.

Most of the animals reportedly showed severe signs of neglect, and several are in such poor condition that euthanasia will be necessary.

Mason’s father, Michael Moulding, spoke at a candlelight vigil on July 31, expressing grief and urging the public to report any signs of abuse. His family described him as a “purest, beautiful soul” and remembered him as their first child and grandson.

All three suspects are held at the Simpson County Detention Center, and the investigation is ongoing. Authorities are urging anyone with information to contact the Scottsville Police Department or Allen County Sheriff’s Office.

“Although the final medical examiner report remains pending, the documented injuries are inconsistent with Williams’ various explanations and are consistent with significant inflicted trauma requiring further criminal investigation,

As the investigation progresses, additional or amended charges remain possible, based on the evidence, officials said.

Detectives said they are still trying to gather evidence, including surveillance video, additional witness interviews, and the Kentucky Medical Examiner’s report.

The Scottsville Police Department and the Allen County Sheriff’s Office said they are continuing to seek justice for the child.

They made a statement that read: Today, our thoughts are with everyone whose lives were forever changed this week, especially the family, first responders, and others impacted by this heartbreaking case.

We are grateful to be part of a community that has responded with compassion, prayers, and a willingness to help. We have seen neighbors support one another, people come forward with information, and countless individuals ask how they can make a difference.

It is our hope that this case raises awareness and encourages people to speak up when they believe a child may be in danger or living in unsafe conditions. If something doesn’t seem right, report it. One phone call could make a life-changing difference for a child.

If this case encourages even one person to report concerns and helps protect another child, that awareness can make a lasting difference.

Scottsville Police Department.

Funeral services for Mason were held August 4, 2026.