Three children were found living in filthy conditions when police were called Thursday for a domestic dispute at a home in Swissvale, Pennsylvania.
Police said the children’s mother, Nicole Sterling, and a man for whom there was an arrest warrant got into an altercation. The man, Alton Alston, suffered a cut under his eye.
Officers noticed a pungent odor before stepping into the home, where they found animal feces, food and beer cans scattered on the floors, according to a criminal complaint.
There was also moldy food on the stove, rotten food in the refrigerator, the couch was missing cushions and the fireplace mantel “was covered in black gelatinous soot.”
The odor in the house was so bad that the officers said they had to step out several times to catch their breath.
Sterling and Alston were arrested.
Sterling is charged with endangering the welfare of children, simple assault and recklessly endangering another person. Police said she is out on bond.
The children were taken into the custody of the Office of Children, Youth and Families.
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