Warrant issued for woman with ‘filthy, unkempt’ house

Staff report

Youngstown

Authorities have issued a warrant for the arrest of Kathleen Kopsco, 61, of Youngstown for failing to appear Friday in Youngstown Municipal Court on housing-code violations that resulted in her husband being removed from the home.

A housing-code enforcement officer and humane agent came to Kopsco’s Leyton Drive address on the West Side on Thursday after receiving a complaint from neighbors of deplorable living conditions.

Upon arrival, the agent and officer observed that Kopsco’s husband, John, no age available, who suffers from Alzheimer’s disease, was “filthy and unkempt” and that “atrocious smells” were coming from inside the house.

Within minutes of entering the home, the officer and agent were covered with fleas. Moldy dog and cat feces and urine covered the carpet.

Rooms were filled from floor to ceiling with dirty laundry, knickknacks, newspapers and empty food containers, the report states.

Mahoning County’s Adult Protective Services was called, and Kopsco’s husband, who also suffers from cancer, a collapsed esophagus and broken hip, was transported to St. Elizabeth Health Center.

Kopsco was summoned to appear in court on four housing-code violations that included accumulation of rubbish and garbage, infestation and weeds.

Four adult cats were removed from the property, and the house was red-tagged, which means that a problem or problems have been found and need to be fixed.

Kopsco is only allowed to enter the residence during daylight hours to clean or make repairs, authorities said.