BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. – A woman who was already wanted on a felony charge of child neglect now faces additional charges after deputies said they found a child locked in a hotel closet wearing a filthy diaper.
According to the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office, deputies went to an unidentified hotel Thursday afternoon to serve a felony warrant for child neglect against Patricia Childress, 25, and Marshall Day.
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Investigators said Childress was put in custody shortly after she opened the door of the hotel room. Day was not at the hotel at the time of Childress’ arrest, records show. Deputies entered the room to look for the two children and, at first, only spotted the boy.
One of the investigators spotted a closet door with a full, heavy clothing bin blocking a closet door, records show. Deputies said they opened the closet door and found the girl inside, wearing only a shirt and a soiled diaper. Investigators added that it appeared neither child had been bathed recently.
“She just sleeps in there, I put her in there just so they don’t fight at night,” Childress told deputies, according to the probable cause affidavit. Records show her story about why the child was in the closet changed several times.
Deputies noted the closet had no lights inside it, forcing the girl to stay in the dark.
When the boy was questioned about why the girl was in the closet, deputies said the child was put in there when she “acts up” and added, “If the cops are coming (redacted) will let (the girl) out.”
Childress faces charges of child neglect without great bodily harm and aggravated child abuse.