PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — A couple has been arrested for child neglect, Port St. Lucie police said.
Police said Wednesday at about 4 p.m. they responded to the 1600 block of Southeast Burgundy Lane in reference to a Department of Children and Families (DCF) investigation of alleged child neglect of four children, ranging in age from 2 months old to 3 years old.
Officers said they found that a 2-year-old child was trapped in a 2.5 foot by 8 foot closet with no lights in it. Police posted an image of a door to the closet with baby gates, dog gates, headboards, pieces of wood, and chairs tied together with bed sheets and belts blocking the closet door.
"Shocked," said Port St. Lucie Police Chief Richard Del Toro. "I mean, this is obviously not your run-of-the-mill case."
Del Toro said officers also found a 2-month-old baby with severe diaper rash from the thigh to the lower back that required hospitalization. The investigation revealed the child had not seen a doctor since birth.
"I mean, you wouldn’t even treat a dog like this," said Del Toro."You wouldn’t even put a dog inside a closet and lock it in there, so I don't know what makes you think you could do this to a child.
Police said James Spiess, 28, and Rebecca Worthington, 27, were arrested and face charges, two counts each, of child neglect. Both were taken to St. Lucie County Jail as neighbors reeled in shock.
"I'm shaking just thinking about it," said Darlene Storey, who lives a street down. "To hear this is very surprising, we’ve never had any problems in this neighborhood at all."
Storey and her husband, Walter, said they saw a police car in the neighborhood around the time Worthington and Spiess were arrested.
Another neighbor, who did not want to be identified told WPTV's Kate Hussey she saw police arresting the couple and taking the children from the home.
"[I was] astonished, I was like… for real?" said the neighbor. "I would never do that. A closet that small? That’s torture. You know, I read a lot of books, watch a lot of crime shows, but I never in a million years thought it would be 50 feet away from me.”
She also told Hussey she had been suspecting neglect ever since moving in three months earlier, and said she had debated reporting the couple to police for several weeks.
She also said she saw multiple families living in the home at a time, which a family member of the children confirmed.
"I saw as many as 15 people there at a time," said the neighbor. “I saw, like, two babies in little mini play pens, and I was like, OK. A bunch of grownups wandering around. I've been worried."
"Is there now a sense of relief?" asked Hussey.
"Oh yes, as a grandmother and a mother, I live right next door with my little girls. Thank God we never let them go over there," said the neighbor.
Police said the remaining children were temporarily placed in the care of a family member, while DCF continues their investigation.
Hussey spoke to a family member, who did not want to be identified, but said she had no idea anything was going on and declined further comment.
