Deputies say a Fernandina Beach home was so filthy it rose to the level of a crime. On April 20, a local couple was arrested after investigators found three children living in what officials described as extreme squalor. One of those children, who relies on specialized medical-port care, had not been receiving the routine cleaning and treatment that setup requires. State child-welfare workers had already removed all three children from the home the day before.
According to the Tampa Free Press, deputies arrested Todd Joseph Lee and Lisa Marie Lee on April 20 and charged them with child neglect causing great bodily harm. The outlet reports that the Department of Children and Families (DCF) stepped in on April 19 after teachers raised alarms and filed complaints about the children’s welfare.
Investigators Describe ‘Deplorable’ Living Conditions
The Nassau County Sheriff's Office said detectives who went into the residence were met with scenes that read like a checklist of what not to find in a family home. They reported urine pooling on floors, feces smeared on carpets and walls, raw meat sitting out in multiple spots, trash and dirty dishes piled throughout living areas, and infestations of cockroaches and flies.
Sheriff Bill Leeper did not mince words. “The neglect and deplorable conditions these children endured are unacceptable,” he said in a statement posted by the Nassau County Sheriff's Office.
Medical Neglect And Earlier Warnings
Detectives noted that one of the children requires ongoing care involving medical ports that need regular cleaning. Investigators say that care had been entirely neglected. Multiple teachers had already reported concerns to DCF, which triggered agency action, according to the Tampa Free Press. Those reports led DCF to remove the children on April 19, one day before the criminal arrests.
What The Law Says
Florida law treats neglect that causes great bodily harm as a serious felony. Florida Statute 827.03 defines neglect and states that neglect resulting in great bodily harm is a second-degree felony. The statute points to sentencing rules in s. 775.082, where a second-degree felony carries a maximum possible prison term of up to 15 years.
Both parents were booked into the Nassau County Jail, and the three children remain in protective custody while investigators and DCF continue their review, according to the sheriff's office. Prosecutors and the county court system will determine whether formal charges move forward and when hearings will be scheduled as the case proceeds.
