Whitley couple arrested for allowing children to live in filthy home

A Whitley County couple was arrested by police last Friday for allowing their Gatliff mobile home to become so filthy that it endangered the welfare of four children staying there.

About 2:45 p.m. Friday, Whitley County Sheriff’s Deputy Cody Harrell, accompanied by Sheriff Colan Harrell and Lt. Bill Riley, arrested James Douglas, 36, and his wife, Tammy Douglas, 37, charging each of them with four counts of endangering the welfare of a minor.

Both were arrested without incident in the Nevisdale area and lodged in the Whitley County Detention Center, said Sheriff Harrell.

Arrest warrants were sworn out against the pair last week after police conducted a welfare check at a mobile home off KY 904 in the Gatliff community. Authorities claim the mobile home was in squalid condition and there was little food in the home for the children to eat.

According to arrest warrants, the home had no electricity or running water, there were holes in the floor and ceiling, human feces on the bathroom floor and old food on paper plates.

The children range in age from three to 16-years-old.

All of the children were removed from the home by Social Services and placed with relatives.

James Douglas was home when police arrived, but was not immediately arrested. A warrant was issued for his arrest later, as well as for his wife, but it took police until last Friday to track the two down.

One of the children found in the home on May 20 was James Douglas’ child, another was his niece, another his nephew and another his step-grandson, Colan Harrell said.

Carla Shelton, who claims she has custody of all of the children, said Social Service workers have put in place a "safety plan" with her that instructs her not to allow the children back at the residence until it is properly cleaned up. The kids, she said, actually live at a residence in Emlyn and that she was fishing when the police inspected the home.

As of press time Tuesday, James and Tammy Douglas remained in the Whitley County Detention Center in lieu of a $2,500 cash bond.