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Kids found living in filthy conditions in Tennessee; parents arrested

Posted at 12:21 PM, Mar 05, 2019
and last updated 2019-03-05 13:21:27-05

An empty refrigerator, no running water and dead cockroaches. That's just some of what police discovered during a welfare check, before arrested two parents in Antioch.

Penny Pinegar, 39 and Aviles Bernado, 31, are charged with child neglect and child endangerment.

According to an affidavit from Metro Nashville Police Department, officers performed a welfare check Monday at their home on Andrea Court and found deplorable conditions. Dishes were seen stacked up in the sink with flies around them. Officers noted the home reeked of urine and bleach. They also reported that the water had been turned off to the home. According to the police affidavit, Bernado told police "he took the children to shower on the weekends."

Officers talked with the children, who said they hadn't had breakfast and had a cupcake for lunch. The police officers noted that the kids' teeth were rotten. The kids also said their bed was broken, and officers saw that their bunk bed was "leaning on its side with soiled mattresses."

Even more, police said the children should've been in school at the time of the welfare check. Bernado told officers he would try to enroll the kids next week, the police report said.

Officers said Pinegar showed up to the home while they were there. She had a bag of food from a local barbeque restaurant, but did not appear to have any food for the children.

The exact ages of the children were not released, but we know they are young. One is six years old or younger, according to the parents' listed charges.

The Department of Children Services said the mother has open cases with them. DCS placed the two children with their Aunt.

Each parent is jailed on $115,000 bond.