A Franklin County couple has pleaded not guilty to charges of abuse after authorities say they discovered three children living in horrible conditions.
Kimberly and Andrew Powell appeared in a court room Friday to answer to felony charges.
In what the Franklin County Sheriff called one of the worst child abuse cases he has ever seen, three children were found living in feces, bugs, and filth. Sheriff Pat Melton said that the kids were often left inside a dark room that was locked from the outside.
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During a news conference Tuesday, authorities said that the children, ages 2, 4, and 6, were rescued from the home.
“They had a nail,” said Sheriff Melton. “And they were taking rope and tying it to the door and pulling the door shut, sealing them in there with black plastic over the windows and wrapping them.”
The children showed signs of malnourishment, delayed development, and the Sheriff said the two youngest children were wearing soiled diapers.
Sheriff Melton said that one of the children had only grown 5.4 ounces since their last appointment with a physician two years ago.
The Sheriff says they were removed from the home when the investigation started back in July.
This morning Kimberly and Andrew Powell, ages 26 and 25 respectively, were indicted by a grand jury. They are in the Franklin County Jail on charges of felony criminal abuse of a child. They bond was set at $25,000.
Both Kimberly and Aaron pleaded not guilty and asked for a bond reduction.
Neither the Powell’s attorneys or extended family would speak to LEX 18 on camera. The attorneys did, however, express concern about the amount of confidential information released in this case by the Sheriff’s Department.
A future court date for the couple has not yet been set. The children are in the custody of social services.
