What began as a domestic dispute call in Muncie ended with a couple in custody and their two young children rushed into state care, after authorities found a home so filthy a health inspector refused to go inside without a full hazmat suit. Investigators say spoiled food, heavy insect infestation and human waste left the house unfit for anyone to live in, and child welfare officials moved quickly to remove the kids while the adults now face preliminary neglect charges.
Officers Describe Deeply Unsanitary Conditions
According to WKRC Local 12, deputies who stepped into the home reported spoiled food scattered through the living room, a diaper packed with feces tossed in a hallway and cockroaches crawling over spoiled items inside the refrigerator. Officers also described a broken toilet filled with feces and a laundry room blocked off by piles of soiled clothing, conditions they said made the house unsafe for the children living there.
Health Inspector Suited Up and Condemned the House
Per reporting by WXIN (FOX59), the situation was so hazardous that authorities called in a health inspector who needed full protective gear before entering and ultimately declared the residence unfit for human habitation. The station reported that the Indiana Department of Child Services then took custody of the two children, and the agency’s own site explains that DCS steps in when a home presents an immediate danger to a child’s health and safety (Indiana Department of Child Services).
Children Removed, Adults Face Preliminary Neglect Charges
According to WKRC Local 12, the adults were identified as 38-year-old Daniel Haisley and 28-year-old Brittany Troup. WKRC reports that both were booked on preliminary neglect charges and that deputies say Troup acknowledged the pair smoked marijuana and admitted they had not provided the children with a proper source of food or water. Officers described the children as covered in filth, with dirty fingernails and stained feet.
Not An Isolated Type Of Response
Extreme filth and infestations have triggered hazmat-style responses in other Indiana cases as well, including an earlier Muncie incident documented by Law&Crime, where police and fire officials described similarly hazardous living conditions. Public safety officials say hazmat protocols are reserved for situations where biohazards, severe infestations or potential chemical risks make a scene dangerous for both first responders and residents.
What Happens Next
The neglect counts remain preliminary, and it was not immediately clear when formal charges would be filed or when the defendants are expected to appear in court again. Delaware County authorities say the investigation is ongoing and that more information will be released as prosecutors and investigators move the case forward.
