VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. – A woman was arrested this week in Volusia County after deputies and child welfare investigators found that her three children were living in a bug-infested home, according to the sheriff’s office.
Jacqueline Daniel, 43, of Orange City, faces three counts of child neglect, records show.
Daniel was arrested Monday after bringing her 10-year-old son to a hospital under a Baker Act due to him “not wanting to attend school,” according to her arrest affidavit.
The 10-year-old was infested with lice, lice eggs and ticks, the sheer number of which in his hair, eyebrows, and eyelashes “caused him to scratch his head until there (were) sores and scabs on his scalp,” the affidavit states. Daniel allegedly admitted to not treating the boy’s lice, nor her daughter’s, despite knowing at least both children had them, investigators said. She told the DCF investigator that she didn’t get any child support and was having a rough time trying to get a better job, according to the affidavit.
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The DCF investigator’s interview prompted them to check on Daniel’s two other children at home, ages 15 and 9, deputies said.
Responding to the home along West New York Avenue, a deputy reported seeing cockroaches ”falling off the ceiling," crawling on the floors, furniture and even on the boy and girl in the home.
Further, investigators noticed occurrences of black mold in patches on the walls, and junk items, trash bags and dirty sheets covering beds and floors, the affidavit states.
Cockroaches could be seen sticking to the walls, the canned food on the floors, crawling in and out of the outlets/cabinets in the kitchen, and crawling in and out of the fridge. All of the food in the fridge has cockroaches and cockroach fecal matters on it. (Jacqueline) advised her electrical went out and they lost all the food in her fridge, as to why there was minimal in there. Cockroaches could be seen crawling around the kitchen floor and trash. The air condition vents were covered in what appeared to be black mold, dirt, and dust. When walking down the hallway it could be observed a huge pile of clothes on the floor that had been walked all over and cockroaches coming out of the clothing.
Jacqueline Daniel arrest affidavit, lines 33-39
At the sight of the kids’ bathroom sink filled with foamy brown water, Daniel reportedly said she didn’t know it was clogged and “asked the children who did it,” neither of whom answered, according to the affidavit.
The two children at the house were placed in a caregiver’s custody and were taken to a hospital for treatment of their head lice, the affidavit states.
(Jacqueline) admitted that these were not living conditions that any human should be living in.
(...)
It appeared (Jacqueline) was more concerned about losing her massage license then the health/safety of her children. As she continued to explain that she just completed school and going to jail could affect her license.
Jacqueline Daniel arrest affidavit, lines 54-59
Daniel was placed under arrest and taken to the Volusia County Branch Jail. She has been out on general release since Tuesday, records show.
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