MUNCIE, Ind. — Two Muncie parents have been arrested and preliminarily charged with multiple counts of neglect of a dependent.
According to a pair of affidavits filed Tuesday, 34-year-old Amanda Jean Meadows and 32-year-old Paul Meadows left their apartment in “abhorrent” condition while three children were living there.
Police were initially dispatched to the apartment — which is located in the 700 block of West Howard Street in Muncie — on June 29 to investigate a disturbance that had been reported. Police were told Amanda and Paul were arguing loudly because Paul may have touched one of the children living in their apartment inappropriately.
When police arrived at the scene, they found a residence that they characterized as “filthy” and “unsafe.” Court records indicate the home was infested with cockroaches and had cat feces littered all over its floors. Police reported that the residence also had “a very strong, foul odor coming from within.”
According to court documents, cockroaches were visible in footage captured by officers’ bodycams. The video showed roaches crawling along the home’s walls.
After their initial visit on June 29, police returned to the residence on July 8. Upon their return, officers observed that the apartment was still in poor condition.
Law enforcement ultimately arrested Amanda and Paul for exposing the children to the filthy conditions. They were both booked into the Delaware County Jail on July 8.
Amanda and Paul have been preliminarily charged with three counts of neglect of a dependent each.
Neglect of a dependent is a Level 6 Felony in Indiana. The maximum penalty for a Level 6 Felony in the Hoosier State is a 2.5-year prison sentence and a fine of up to $10,000.
