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Jacksonville children found filthy, barefoot outside home with broken glass

By Rich Jones, News 104.5 WOKV
By Rich Jones, News 104.5 WOKV
The discovery of two children wandering on a Jacksonville street led to an even more disturbing discovery at their home. Jacksonville Sheriff's Office police said the children were living in deplorable conditions.
Now, two people are facing child neglect charges.
Jacksonville police were called Monday evening to Golden Crabhouse on North Edgewood Avenue by someone who had brought the children inside from the rain. 
The children were barefoot, wet and filthy, according to an incident report. It’s unclear how they had gotten out of their home.  
“It was pouring rain and they were just walking alone, crying, upset. You could tell they needed help,” said Karzan Hagi. 
Hagi said he noticed two little boys, who were barefoot and covered in dirt, walking along a busy road, all alone. 
“I saw them and asked them 'Where are you guys coming from? Where are your parents? What is your names? Where do you live? Let me take you home,'” he said. 
Hagi said he brought the children into his family business, Golden Crabhouse, where he tried to clean them up. 
“I tried feeding them and giving them water, keeping them calm. One of them was crying,” Hagi said. 
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Officers said they went to the house where the boys live, which is a few blocks from Golden Crabhouse on Chenango Blvd.
Officers said the living conditions of the home were filthy and there was no running water.  According to the report, the entire house was swarming with flies and littered with trash. 

The bathtub was filled with dirty laundry and, in the children's room, there were two cartons of broken eggs that were covered with bugs. Outside the home, police found broken glass, trash and obstacles that made it difficult to walk around. 

Police arrested 33-year-old Jerry Nipper and 30-year-old Lana Mitchell for child neglect. 
Hagi said he’s glad he noticed the little boys and was able to help. “Anybody could’ve scooped up those kids and just took them. They could’ve been gone forever. Thank God, they ran into me and I helped,” Hagi said.
The Florida Department of Children and Families said the children are now in a foster home as the agency investigates. 
“Investigation continues. We want to determine what happened," said DCF spokesman John Harrell.  
There were only two children living in the home, according to DCF.  

Cox Media Group

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