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DCF employee arrested for child neglect
Kylie Jones reports
ALTURAS, Fla. - A now former DCF employee and her husband were arrested in Polk County on Saturday after officials discovered their home was covered in trash, feces and dog urine, according to authorities.
The Polk County Sheriff's Office says they responded to a home in the 8000 block of Alturas Babson Park Cutoff Road at the request of the Department of Children and Families.
Deputies say when they arrived, the outside of the home had overgrown grass and junk/debris scattered on the property. Officials say the inside of the home had moldy furniture, stagnant water, junk and debris, piles of dog feces and more.
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"The house was an absolute, total disaster," Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said. "There was feces and urine all over the place."
According to deputies, a 7-month-old baby and a 7-year-old child lived in the home. Officials say there were also five dogs kept at the home. Four of the dogs were kept inside.
Investigators say they spoke to 43-year-old Tawnya White in the front yard, which is when she told them that she had worked for the Department of Children and Families for about 13 years.
"She went to work every day and gave advice of how to clean up houses, how to take care of children, how to avoid the same circumstance that she was living in at home," Judd said. "That was her job. So she knew better."
Courtesy: Polk County Sheriff's Office
According to the sheriff's office, Tawnya White said her husband, 39-year-old Devin White, had been in a car wreck, which limited his mobility and ability to help with cleaning. She also informed officials that she worked full-time. Tawnya White told authorities that she was trying to clean the house but did not have help.
According to the sheriff's office, Tawnya White said the 7-month-old did not leave the master bedroom unless he was carried outside. The baby had not started crawling yet.
Officials suspect being confined in a bassinet all day in an unsafe home may be the reason the child has delayed development.
Investigators also spoke to Devin White in the living room. He told law enforcement that the conditions of the home were his fault, because he did not have help with cleaning.
He said he did not want to ask for help but was unable to clean the home himself.
Authorities say Devin White said the kids did not play in the home and were confined to the master bedroom.
According to the sheriff's office, Tawnya White signed a consent form for photographs to be taken of the inside of the home. Pictures showed trash and multiple knives scattered on the floor.
Courtesy: Polk County Sheriffs Office
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Officials say there were also numerous pieces of dog feces in various stages of decomposition and the smell of dog urine was pungent throughout the house.
There were multiple areas of exposed plywood flooring and visible stains from new and old animal urine and feces, according to authorities.
Investigators say kitchen counters and the sink were cluttered with items and the stove was covered, preventing the ability to cook.
There was also nowhere to sit to eat, according to the sheriff's office, and no area where food could be prepared.
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Polk County Fire Rescue responded to the scene to conduct an air quality test which revealed that ammonia levels were well above OSHA standards. The front door was open for an hour before the test was conducted in the living room, according to officials.
Tawnya White's employment with DCF was confirmed by DCF Supervisor Maldonado. However, she was fired from her job based on the results of the investigation.
Deputies learned that DCF had been trying to see the inside of the home since Jan. 24, 2024, after receiving a report about the conditions. However, the couple was uncooperative with allowing people inside.
Courtesy: Polk County Sheriff's Office
"She clearly knew that her children were living in an inappropriate environment, because she wouldn’t allow her own bosses to come in and look around," Judd said. "We just can’t believe she would expose her children to that, especially after seeing the horror that she saw in 13 years as a CPI investigator."
DCF got a court order to go inside the home. The Whites had 19 days to clean the house since first contact with DCF, yet the home was still unhealthy and unsafe for the children, according to officials.
Deputies say both Tawnya White and Devin White were arrested and charged with two counts of child neglect.
Judd applauded DCF for getting involved when it first received a report about the conditions at White’s home.
"DCF needs to follow up on any of the cases that she worked on to see if she gave a pass to people who were allowing their children to live in the same environment she was," Judd said.
The sheriff’s office says the children were removed from the home by DCF and are now with other family members.
FOX 13 reached out to the Department of Children and Families for comment and regarding White’s employment, and is waiting to hear back.