An Enid mother is facing felony charges after her two young children were found locked in a filthy apartment. Following a tip from a concerned neighbor, the Enid Police Department discovered the children, aged 2 and 4, in a bedroom locked from the outside, with one of the children confined in a closet, according to KFOR. The apartment, located at Rolling Meadows Apartment near E. Randolph and S 30th Street, was reported to be in disarray with trash, animal feces, and an overwhelming stench.
Police responded to the scene around 8:47 a.m. on a Friday when neighbors reported hearing the children's cries. As the officers arrived, they faced a situation that the neighbor did not describe as abnormal, having noticed the children, in previous occasions, locked in for hours. Kassandra Thomas, 25, was arrested after admitting to babysitting at a relative's home within the same complex, thus leaving her children unattended, as detailed by OKC FOX.
The conditions of the apartment were troubling for the officers, with the presence of bugs and scattered refuse complicating an already disturbing scene. Evidence retrieved from a body camera video further confirms the neglect, showing the children amidst the chaos, as described in a release by KOCO. Thomas indicated to the police that she had rigged the bedroom door to lock from the outside to prevent her son from causing damage in the apartment.
The children have been placed in the care of the Department of Human Services following their mother's arrest. Kassandra Thomas now faces serious legal repercussions, charged with child abuse and child neglect. Neighbors reported to KFOR that the sight of children being locked in was not a rare occurrence, heightening concerns about the long-term safety and well-being of the siblings. The investigation continues, as officials piece together the events leading up to the police intervention.
