Child removed from 'filthy' home, deputies say

CLERMONT, Fla. (WOFL FOX 35) - Video from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office shows what have been described as disgusting conditions in which a young boy was forced to live -- the kitchen crawling with roaches, flies and maggots.

“Conditions they’ve never seen before; it’s described as though when they walked in, because it was so bad, the flies came right towards them,” said Sgt. Fred Jones with the Lake County Sheriff's Office.

The Clermont trailer was so filthy that deputies had to wear hazmat suits to go inside.  Investigator said 15 cats were removed from the house, and one was found dead. According to the arrest warrant, the bathroom was  unusable with nowhere for the little boy to bathe.  Neighbors said they tried to help.

“We would bathe him out here, give him food, give him water, and give him all the support we can ,” said Miriam Martinez, a neighbor.

Deputies arrested 30-year-old Mark Cameron, charging him with aggravated child abuse and child neglect . Deputies said he also lived in the home and was so dirty, he had to be decontaminated before going to jail.  The boy told investigators he would be beaten and whipped for trying to clean up and was often left alone with his bedridden grandfather.

“It’s basically, leave a family alone let them deal with their problems that they’re having. If you want to help them out that’s fine, this now, is not going to help me out,” said a woman named Diana who said she was the suspect’s mother.

She was at the trailer Tuesday morning trying to clean it up, she blamed the incident on family matters.

“I’m trying my best too. I take care of a family, and then just everything escalated, because of someone’s mouth , that’s all,” said Diana.

Investigators with the Florida Department of Children and Families confirm that they are investigating, and said the boy is now staying with a family friend.