Police on Monday responded to reports of a domestic dispute between two brothers at the home on Dogwood Drive in Marietta, near Lower Roswell Road and South Marietta Parkway, Cobb Officer Joe Hernandez said.
When officers entered the home around 7 p.m., they found a 158-pound, 5-year-old girl and her 4-year-old sister, who weighs 89 pounds, police said.
According to arrest warrants, the 5-year-old had "head lice large enough to see while standing above the child," her teeth were "rotting out," her gums were swollen and she was covered in spider and flea bites.
"She is extremely obese and cannot walk 10 feet without becoming out of breath and wheezing," according to the warrants. "She cannot sit down without assistance, or stand up."
The 4-year-old "was found lying on a stained mattress with no bedding, wearing only a urine-soaked diaper," the warrants state. "The bottom of her feet were black from dirt, and she is also covered in insect bites ... Neither child is enrolled in school."
Police said the house stunk of urine and mold and was "infested with roaches, fleas, cobwebs and gigantic spiders."
The girls' parents, James and Anne Cordona, were taken to Cobb County Jail, where they remain. James Cordona, 31, has a $5,000 bond. Anne Cordona, 35, bonded out earlier this week, but Col. Milton Beck with the Sheriff's Office said she was rearrested Thursday around 7 p.m., accused of presenting misleading information at her first appearance hearing Tuesday. They both face felony second-degree child cruelty charges and misdemeanor charges of contributing to the deprivation of a minor.
"Both accused parties have neglected to seek medical treatment for either of their children," according to the warrants.
Cobb Animal Control also arrived at the house the night of the Monday arrests and found 18 animals living inside.
According to the Animal Control report, there was no clear evidence of animal abuse, but officials removed three dogs, two cats, two turtles and nine birds from the home. Police went back to the house around 1 a.m. Tuesday and removed a senior citizen and two more dogs from the home.
The senior citizen and the children are all in protective custody, Hernandez said.
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But any idiot can be a parent and mistreat that child.
What a shame.
I feel for those children.
What a shame that parents would allow such filth in their homes.
(you know, the East Cobb folks don't really care WHERE or HOW these illegals live,.... as long as they get a good price on lawn care!)
Usually, the abused children are malnourished. This doesn't seem to be the case here obviously.
The obese children could have a medical condition that contributes to their obesity.
Also, the article states that neither of the girls are enrolled in a school. Hint: Five and four year olds are not supposed to be in regular grammer schools. They could be nursery schools or even kindergarten if the parents could afford it and these particular parents probably do not.
Bug bites? Who knows? The police often exaggerate the situation to jusitfy their interference in people's personal lives.
So, I guess it is now a crime to not support your kids on the level of a well to do family?
Clue: Just because the police say it doesn't make it a true fact! Also, remember the old adage that you can tell if a cop is lying by watching his or her lips. If they are moving they are lying.