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Marshall County Deputies: Children Were Living in Squalor in Cameron

A Cameron parent faces child neglect charges after police responded to a call of injuries sustained during a fight, only to find that the home of three children were living in squalor.

Around 11 a.m. Oct. 30, Marshall County Sheriff’s deputies responded to the home of Ashlyn Allen, 25, of Cameron, where another resident wanted to speak to officers about having been attacked and sustaining injuries. Inside the house, the children — age 6, 2 and 1 — were described as running around while Allen was seen asleep at the table. The officer described her as appearing under the influence.

The officer said he saw the children attempting to climb the pantry and refrigerator to get food, which prompted Allen to say they had none. Around the house, the officer reported seeing trash stacked in the kitchen, vomit on the floor and debris scattered across the house. The officer said the home conditions posed a health hazard to the children, which prompted the officer to call child protective services.

Outside, the officer questioned what happened to a vehicle, which had been recently wrecked and sustained heavy damage. Allen allegedly told the officer that she suspected the car had been stolen, crashed and returned, as it happened while she was asleep. She allegedly declined to provide a statement or allow the officer to check for evidence.

Meanwhile, CPS arrived on scene, deemed the house unsuitable for children and removed the children to stay with family elsewhere.

Several days later, the family member with whom the children were staying allegedly contacted the officer and told him the children were in the vehicle when it was wrecked. The family member allegedly told police that another woman — not Allen — was driving, but Allen was a passenger. That family member also allegedly told police the children were not in their seats at the time. The driver allegedly sustained facial injuries after hitting a guardrail, but the family member told police Allen did not have the children examined because she did not think the wreck was “that bad.”

Allen was released from the Northern Regional Jail on $10,000 bond. She faces a charge of child neglect, creating serious risk of injury, which is a felony.

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