A 21-year-old mother is being charged with cruelty to children by the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office after she left her two-year-old son alone, trapped inside of his room, with no food or drink, in a home filled with garbage.

According to Sheriff Ted Paxton, Stephanie Davis of 2350 Boxer Lane, Cumming, GA is being charged with cruelty to children in the second degree and reckless conduct.

Deputies responded to the Boxer Lane residence on Friday, June 22, at approximately 8:40 a.m. after a family member contacted the Sheriff’s Office about the child. The family member had been in touch with Davis around 4:40 a.m. that day when she called from the Roswell Police Department jail where she had been arrested. Davis told the family member that someone was watching her son. The family member, after getting additional information, told the Sheriff’s Office that she believed the child was alone at the home and was unattended. The family member lived over an hour away.

Upon the deputies’ arrival, they found the residence locked and no adult at home. Inside of the home, they could see a dog running from one open window to another, barking. As the deputies worked their way around the house, they could hear the cries of a child coming from inside.

“Because of the extenuating circumstances, one of the deputies pulled the screen off of the window and entered the home,” explained Sheriff Paxton. “The deputy then made his way to the room where he heard the child crying. What he found was a child that was trapped in his room by a closed door, equipped with a safety device on the inside doorknob, that prevented the child from opening the door.

“The child was dressed in a dirty white t-shift. He had removed his diaper himself and it was on the floor, filled to overflowing with feces. The child had feces on his hands, feet and legs.”

The deputy took the child from the home, handing it to the other deputy through a window. Upon further inspection, the deputy also found what appeared to be bug bites, possibly from fleas, on the legs of the child.

“Deputies on the scene began to clean the feces off of the child and put a clean diaper on him. Because of the disarray of the home, deputies could not tell if the clothes on the floor were clean or dirty. One deputy got clothes and food from his home and gave it to the child, while another went to a local store to get the child something to drink. Deputies said it was clear that the child was very hungry.”

Sheriff Paxton said it is unknown how long the child had been alone prior to the phone call from the mother to the relative.

The home was described by deputies on the scene as “filthy. The odor emanating from the inside of the house was a mixture of rotting food, urine and feces.”

Two rooms, one being the room where the child was found, had only a mattress and box springs on the floor. Clothing was thrown on the floors of the bedrooms, bathroom and sofa. Towels and used razors were found on the floor outside of the shower, as well as overflowing trash. In the kitchen, deputies found dirty dishes, rotting food and trash. Outside of the home, on the porch, were over 50 bags filled with garbage. In addition, panes were broken out of some of the windows, including the room where the child was found.

Also inside of the home were two dogs – one that was contained inside of a cage. Both dogs were taken out of the home by deputies and given water. Both dogs were later transported by Animal Control from the residence after no one could be found to care for them.

“I commend the deputies for their response and for their caring actions at the scene,” added Sheriff Paxton. “This was a situation that could have ended quite differently. Thankfully, the child was located and is now safe.”

The Department of Family and Children’s Services (DEFACS) was contacted and has placed the child in protective custody. The mother remains incarcerated at the Fulton County Jail. A hold has been placed on her for the Forsyth County charges.