PALM COAST, Fla. – A Palm Coast man is facing charges after deputies received multiple 911 calls reporting a toddler wandering alone in the street, the sheriff’s office said.
On Sunday, deputies arrived at Collins Lane where neighbors found the 2-year-old child walking unsupervised. Deputies said upon arrival, they observed the child’s father, 44-year-old Ross Judy, appearing untidy and under the influence of alcohol.
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According to the arrest report, neighbors had attempted to alert Judy by calling out to him but received no response. It was only after entering the residence that they found him asleep. The child was found wearing pajamas and a soiled diaper, with no visible injuries. However, the residence was reported to be in a state of disarray, with trash, hazardous materials and a non-childproofed pool posing significant risks.
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Deputies conducted a welfare check inside the home, discovering unsanitary conditions, including excessive garbage, rotten food and exposed hazards such as razors and hypodermic needles. Additionally, a dog was found in poor health, suffering from a severe ear infection and living in squalid conditions, the arrest report stated.
Judy faces charges of felony child neglect without great bodily harm and animal cruelty for abandoning the dog in such a state.
The Department of Children and Families and Animal Control were notified, and the child was placed in the custody of his grandparents. The child’s mother, who lives out of county, was informed of the situation.