Truant teens lead cops to filthy home

staff report

AUSTINTOWN — Finding two teenagers walking Tuesday morning on Burkey Road, instead of being in school, has led authorities to ban one of the girls and her siblings from living in her home until it is cleaned up.

Before an Austintown police officer could return the two girls to their schools he took the girls to one of their houses, on Kirwan Drive, to retrieve school books.

But when they arrived, the officer found 31 rabbits in cages in the garage, plus foul odor and flying insects. Inside the house, the officer found animal feces on the floor, odor, possible mold on the floor and nonedible food in the refrigerator.

A humane officer removed the rabbits and gave the mother of the girl living there five days to clean up the garage. A worker from the Mahoning County Children Services Board advised the woman that her children would not be allowed back into the house until it was cleaned.

Arrangements were made for the children — ranging in age from age 8 to 14 — to stay with their father. The girls were taken to school.