Massachusetts

‘Misunderstanding': Parents Speak Out After Kids Removed From ‘Deplorable' Home

The parents of three kids removed from their Massachusetts home by child welfare agency officials after paramedics responding to a medical issue found "deplorable" living conditions say they are working to clean up the home and clear their names.

"The house was a little messy, but it wasn't as bad as they made it out to be," the father of the three children, who didn't want to give his name, told NBC Boston.

Plymouth police confirm that officers received a call just before 4 a.m. Tuesday from paramedics after crews had responded to a home on Knoll Road for a 66-year-old woman who had fallen.

When officers arrived, they said they found the home in a "deplorable" state and that three children - ranging in age from 3- to 12-years-old - were living there with their parents and grandmother. They did not provide specifics on the conditions inside the home.

Authorities called the Department of Children and Families, and representatives from the child welfare agency moved the children to another family residence.

"Those are my children, and no matter what, I have to get them back," their father said. "I don't understand why they had to leave."

The children's father called the situation a "misunderstanding" and said he and his wife love their kids.

"It caught us at a bad day," the children's mother said. "Everybody has bad days. Kids make a mess."

The state's Department of Inspectional Services will be notified soon and will decide whether or not the home is habitable.

Several neighbors told NBC Boston Tuesday night they were not surprised by the police response at the home.

It's unclear if the adults in the home will face any charges.

Contact Us