Baby placed into protective custody
Uniontown police placed a 6-month-old baby into protective custody Thursday afternoon after the infant was found living in a home filled with dog and rat feces. Uniontown police Officer Jamie Holland said the incident occurred shortly after 2:30 p.m. at 60 Lenox St.
He said state Constable Mark Pasquale called Uniontown police after Pasquale found an infant living inside the home in deplorable conditions.
Holland said when he entered the residence he found the floor littered with dog and rat feces and found the infant in a car seat on the living room floor.
Holland said he spoke to the baby’s grandmother and asked if he could examine the child.
She told police that she could take the girl out of the car seat now, as it was time for her breakfast, and that officers could examine her, Holland said.
Holland said the baby had a large rash on her neck and back and the grandmother explained the rash was a result of formula dripping onto the infant as she nursed her bottle.
Holland said he then contacted officials at Fayette County Children and Youth Services regarding the situation.
Holland said he then learned from the baby’s grandmother that the child’s mother was sleeping upstairs.
Holland said that after talking with the infant’s mother, police recommended that she take the child to the Uniontown Hospital for treatment of her rash.
He said that CYS officials placed the infant in a CYS vehicle and officers then waited for the baby’s mother to come outside.
Holland said that after waiting for the child’s mother to leave the residence and accompany her daughter to the hospital, they discovered that she had fled the house.
Police then took the infant into protective custody, Holland said.
Holland said that the residents have five days to clean the home before code enforcement condemns the house.
The identity of the mother and grandmother were withheld pending further investigation into the incident.