YOUNGSTOWN Police: 2 kids lived in filth

The children's mother is a registered nurse at the emergency room of St. Elizabeth Health Center, police said.
By PAUL WHEATLEY
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- Police say they found deplorable living conditions when they responded to a call that two children were locked out of their East Philadelphia Avenue home Tuesday while their mother slept inside.
Police found a 2-year-old and a 4-year-old, barely clothed, standing on a porch in 54-degree weather about 9 a.m. Tuesday.
Spilled soup noodles welcomed police at the door after the children's 27-year-old mother invited them inside. But that was only the beginning.
Police noticed hundreds of fruit flies feasting on a bag of trash just inside the home, a dish of rotten food on a loveseat and pretzels and cereal scattered across the carpet.
What police found: Officers said a litter box near a refrigerator was overflowing with cat feces, which was scattered throughout the house.
The refrigerator contained a 12-pack of beer, condiments and something from Dairy Queen that was moldy.
Police did find meat in the freezer.
They found a bare, urine-stained mattress meant for the 2-year-old.
Cat excrement was mixed with clothing.
Police found a bathroom trash can overflowing with dirty diapers, a toilet full of urine and cigarette butts and a bathtub caked with scum.
What was done: Mahoning County Children Services Board workers took custody of the two children and a third child, age 7, who was in school.
They were given to their grandmother, a Youngstown resident, temporarily.
The children's mother, who police identified as a registered nurse employed at the emergency room of St. Elizabeth Health Center, was arrested and taken to Mahoning County Jail.
A sister who watches the children at night also was arrested.
Both are charged with child endangerment.