An intoxicated mother was arrested after her children were found living in a filthy apartment with rotting food in the sink and beer cans scattered on the floor.
Lauren Kimberly Larson, 35, is free on $2,000 bond following her arrest on a charge of child neglect.
She called law enforcement on March 27 alleging that a neighbor had attempted to strangle her. That allegation turned out to be unfounded, according to an arrest report from the Fruitland Park Police Department. It was apparent that Larson was intoxicated.
Her apartment on Miller Boulevard in Fruitland Park was in “completely deplorable conditions” with garbage, dirty clothes, dirty diapers and rotten food, the police report said. There were “100 or more empty Natural Ice beer cans scattered just about in every room with the majority being in the kitchen and living room.”
There was a large amount of roaches, fruit flies and miscellaneous bugs throughout the whole house. A toilet appeared to be inoperable and full of fecal matter. One child was wearing a soiled diaper and had “dirt from his face to his feet.” The Department of Children and Families was called to investigate.
Larson was transported to Leesburg Regional Medical Center and later taken to Lifestream Behavioral Center. She was booked Tuesday at the Lake County Jail.
