DEPUTY CASSIO:
Neighbors have been
calling in complaining that, uh,
there's some folks living here.
They've got five or six kids.
They're living in this house.
They're concerned that the
living conditions aren't
suitable for these children.
They say there's rotting
food on the floors,
and the place is just
an absolute pigsty.
So we're going to go out now
and make sure the kids are OK,
and that the conditions aren't
such that puts them in danger.
[KNOCKING]
Hi, how are you doing?
I need to come in and
talk to you for a minute.
OK, thank you.
We had a call concerned about
the welfare of your children.
When we get a call like this,
we have to come out and actually
physically take a look
around and make sure
that there's nothing
dangerous as far as the kids.
MAN: We just had supper, so the
place is-- the kitchen's the--
DEPUTY CASSIO: That's fine.
You know, hey, dirty
dishes don't bother me.
OK?
So do you live here by
yourself with the kids?
OK.
I know that can be tough.
But let's, uh-- if you
don't mind, let's go
and just take a look around.
You can come with me.
And we'll, uh, see
how things are here.
Check behind the door.
What's behind the door.
BOY: Uh, there's a broken door.
DEPUTY CASSIO: Oh, yeah.
MAN: The bottom's broken.
DEPUTY CASSIO: Oh, OK.
MAN: That's why I keep it open.
DEPUTY CASSIO: Your wife, does
she have all their clothes, or?
MAN: Most of them, yes.
BOYS: That's my dad's room.
That's my dad's room.
DEPUTY CASSIO: OK.
Other than what they have on?
Where's the--
MAN: Oh, no.
I've-- I've got some
of their clothes.
CHILD: Scissors, scissors.
DEPUTY CASSIO: How many
kids do you have here?
MAN: Five.
DEPUTY CASSIO: Five.
MAN: I'm supposed to
have six by tomorrow.
DEPUTY CASSIO: Six by tomorrow?
They're all your kids?
MAN: Yes.
DEPUTY CASSIO: OK.
Hi, Jack.
Oops, careful.
MAN: Kevin, Christopher.
DEPUTY CASSIO: Careful.
CHILD: Yeah?
Check it in here inside.
Yeah, come on.
DEPUTY CASSIO: Well, we
found the clothes anyway, so.
Do you have the
food stamps here?
MAN: No, I don't.
She's got them.
She--
DEPUTY CASSIO: How do you intend
to get some food for them?
MAN: Well, other than, they
already had supper tonight,
she'll be here first
thing in the morning.
DEPUTY CASSIO: And
she's the same one
that took all the stuff?
MAN: Yeah, she's slowly
bringing it back now.
Why don't you round up
your brothers and sisters
and watch them for
us for a minute, OK?
CHILD: What are you
going to take my dad for?
Are you going to him?
DEPUTY CASSIO: No, we're not
going to take your dad away.
He's OK.
Um, basically, both
me and my partner
feel it's real borderline.
You're dependent
on your wife, who
obviously is spiteful toward
you and is having some problems.
MAN: Well, she isn't
spiteful anymore.
That's why she's
giving me the kids.
DEPUTY CASSIO: You're
depending on her
to bring these food stamps.
CHILD: Chris spilled
poop on the floor.
MAN: Huh?
CHILD: Chris spilled
poop on the floor.
MAN: What?
When?
CHILD: [INAUDIBLE]
MAN: First?
Second?
One of the reasons why
she brought them over here
is because she was afraid
that if the state went over
there and saw six kids
in a travel trailer,
they would take them.
And that's why she
brought them here.
DEPUTY CASSIO: OK.
Tell you what, let's do--
all right.
I'm going to come
back in an hour.
Let's see what you can get
done in an hour as far as--
do they have diapers?
Do they have other diapers?
MAN: Yes, I got a
whole case right here.
DEPUTY CASSIO: OK.
You got some diapers.
[CRYING]
Get some clothes on, at
least to where their--
MAN: Thank you.
DEPUTY CASSIO: Pick the stuff
off around on the floor.
I know you can't work
miracles in an hour.
But let's see if we can make
it a little safer for them, OK?
MAN: I can do miracles
in this place in an hour.
DEPUTY CASSIO: OK.
Let's try that, and I'll
come back in about an hour.
OK?
MAN: Yes, sir.
DEPUTY CASSIO: Don't--
whatever you do, don't leave.
MAN: No, I'm not going to leave.
I'm gonna be too busy
keeping this place together.
DEPUTY CASSIO: OK.
WOMAN (ON RADIO): --a
white male, about--
DEPUTY CASSIO: Bye bye.
Our last option, in my mind,
is to take the kids out
of the home and
separate the family.
They don't understand why.
They don't understand
why they're
being separated from their
parents, and it's pretty scary.
So I'd kind of like to leave
that as a very last resort.
Here I'll get a cart.
There you go.
DEPUTY FARRAR: One
cart outta do it.
DEPUTY CASSIO: Some eggs.
A couple breads.
How many is there?
DEPUTY FARRAR: There's
seven of them living there.
DEPUTY CASSIO: Yeah.
Get a dozen, and I'll get
a dozen and nectarines,
or something.
Staples of life here, eggs.
CHILD: Got some eggs.
That'll do it.
That'll get them by
for a couple days.
DEPUTY CASSIO: Yeah, mm-hm.
[LAUGHING]
DEPUTY FARRAR: [INAUDIBLE].
DEPUTY CASSIO: Yeah, I would.
Brett and I both
have kids of our own,
and I know that probably
one of the hardest
things I could go
through in life
would be to have my
kids taken away from me.
And again, that's just--
it's a lot of
trauma for the kids
that I just don't feel
like putting them through,
if the dad is willing
to go the extra effort,
and make sure that
they're cared for.
[KNOCKING]
CHILD: Who!
DEPUTY CASSIO: Hi.
CHILD: We cleaned it fast.
DEPUTY FARRAR: You
guys been busy?
DEPUTY CASSIO: You look busy.
CHILD: Yeah, we cleaned it fast.
[LAUGHING]
DEPUTY CASSIO: The
kids are wiped out.
DEPUTY FARRAR: Looking good.
They'll sleep good tonight, huh?
MAN: Oh, yeah.
So will I.
DEPUTY CASSIO: Well, you
sound out of breath, partner.
DEPUTY FARRAR: Looks good.
DEPUTY CASSIO: It looks
100% better, partner.
It really does.
CHILD: We cleaned
the bathroom up.
Cleaned the rooms.
DEPUTY FARRAR: Cleaned
up the bathroom?
Good.
DEPUTY CASSIO: Let's go
back out in front here.
We brought you some stuff
too to help you out, so.
MAN: Thank you.
DEPUTY CASSIO: Hi, sweet pea.
CHILD: Hi.
DEPUTY CASSIO:
Let's go back out.
Can you help me?
CHILD: Yeah, yeah, yes.
DEPUTY FARRAR: Who wants
to carry something?
CHILD: Me.
DEPUTY FARRAR: You?
DEPUTY CASSIO: OK.
Let's see.
You're the big one, so you can--
there you go.
Can you carry that?
Is that-- here.
Can you carry that?
CHILD: It's cold.
I don't want to carry it.
DEPUTY CASSIO: Are
you gonna help?
Oh, can you hold it
by the handle maybe?
Got it?
DEPUTY FARRAR: All right.
Look at that.
Uh-oh.
You guys have been real good?
MAN: Yeah, they've
been kicking butt.
DEPUTY FARRAR: Look at this.
[WHINING]
Well, that's up to Dad.
He makes the decision on those.
MAN: Now, do you want this,
or do you want ice cream?
CHILD: I want this.
[LAUGHING]
MAN: OK.
Here's a snack, guys.
CHILD: OK.
I'll take ice cream.
MAN: You guys are going
to be going to bed,
and I don't need you
bouncing off the walls.
DEPUTY CASSIO: That's
not a bad idea, eiether.
MAN: Have an apple.
Here.
DEPUTY CASSIO: What
we need to do--
[SHOUTING]
[LAUGHING]
You really did impress me.
Y'all really pulled together,
and I know you want to stay
together.
The reason why we brought
you this stuff was we
want to make sure
that the kids were--
CHILD: I wanna be a police.
DEPUTY CASSIO: You
wanna be a policeman?
CHILD: Yes.
DEPUTY CASSIO: Ah,
that's a good--
[LAUGHING]
We wanted to make sure--
we wanted to make sure that
we could leave the kids here,
and they would have some food.
We didn't have any
problem with the fact
that you cared for your
children and loved them
and don't want them to leave.
We could understand that,
and we could see that.
We need to just
check back and just
make sure everything's going OK.
MAN: Any time you
want to come over.
DEPUTY CASSIO: OK.
MAN: Bye, guys.
DEPUTY FARRAR: Bye bye.
MAN: Thanks for coming by.
I really appreciate
the food and the help.
DEPUTY CASSIO: See
you guys later.
DEPUTY FARRAR:
Hope it helps out.
MAN: Oh, it definitely does.
DEPUTY CASSIO: OK, good luck.
MAN: Yeah, you too.
DEPUTY FARRAR: You help dad, OK?
You're all right.
DEPUTY CASSIO: Bye now,
don't work too hard.
I expected it to
be a little better,
but that was a lot better, and
I was really happy about it.
I feel like we made
the right decision.
One hour wasn't enough to give
him to finish the whole thing,
but he made a big dent in it.
I think that's going to give
him the help that he needed,
and that makes me
feel real good.
