Buffalo Police have arrested a couple on child endangerment charges after three young children were discovered living in "deplorable conditions" on the city's West Side. Central District officers responded to a call at 5 p.m. Monday at a residence in the first block of 15th Street near York. The Buffalo Police Juvenile/Sex Offense Squad was also called in soon after.
Officers found three young children, ages one to three, lying on a couch cushion on the floor of the living room. Police said two of the three children had no clothing on at all. The third child only was wearing a diaper, which detectives say was filled with feces and urine.
Police said report all three children appeared "emaciated and extremely malnourished."
Detectives also reported garbage strewn through the apartment containing dirty diapers, old boxes of take-out food and broken glass. Police said the temperature inside the apartment was at least 90 degrees.
The children were taken to Women & Children’s Hospital for treatment. Child Protective Services has taken custody of them.
The mother is identified as 24-year-old Maureen Fabre. Terrell Hagans, 26, is believed to be the father of the two youngest children. Both were arrested by police and charged with three counts of Endangering the Welfare of a Child.
Buffalo Police confirm for WBFO News the apartment is located at 17 15th Street.
WBFO was at the scene and found garbage flowing out of city garbage totes. Among the garbage was a empty diaper box. There was a strong order.
WBFO also reached out to Child Protective Services (CPS). Peter Anderson, Press Secretary for Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz said there would be "no comment" for anyone in CPS.
"By NYS law, we are prohibited from confirming (or denying, for that matter) any CPS involvement in any family’s case; it is a privacy law intended to protect families from having their problems publicized," wrote Anderson in an email.