Parents facing charges after 2 children found living in squalid Northeast Philadelphia home
According to sources, the FBI executed a search warrant related to terroristic threats made against the White House.
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Federal authorities executed a search warrant at a Northeast Philadelphia home Tuesday, where investigators found two children living in what sources described as squalid conditions.
Action News has learned the parents of those children are now in custody.
Philadelphia police on Wednesday identified the two people arrested at the home as Thomas Bach, 43, and Megan Bach, 44.
They are charged with endangering the welfare of a child, recklessly endangering another person and multiple other offenses.
The search took place on the 7100 block of Whitaker Avenue.
Only Action News was there while the FBI was on the scene. We learned that agents surrounded the home for several hours.
According to sources, the FBI executed a search warrant related to terroristic threats made against the White House.
When investigators entered the home, they called in a hazmat team because of a strong odor.
Sources told Action News that agents discovered two children living inside the home in unsanitary conditions with feces, fleas, piles of trash, and no running water.
The children, ages 5 years and 8 months, were found with bug bites and bruises, and were taken to a hospital for medical evaluation, source said.
The PSCPA said 38 cats and a dog were also found inside, and said more cats likely still need to be rescued. The effort to recover all of the cats could take several days.
The PSCPA went on to say the animals have not yet been signed over to its care, but they will be cared for until they are signed over or until the adjudication of the court case.
Several firearms, boxes of evidence, and bags of garbage were removed from the home.
Neighbor Vex Holmquist said she regularly noticed a strong odor coming from the home.
"Every time I would walk by, it would smell really bad, kitty litter and everything, and a horrible stench every time you would walk. You could smell it from across the street," Holmquist said. "I've seen one kid, I think, play with their neighbor. That's about it. I've never actually seen the people come out or anything."
Neighbors expressed hope that the parents will face consequences.
"I really don't think what they did was right. It's disgusting and I'm struggling to put it into words how awful that is," neighbor Jacob Holmquist said.
Officials from the Philadelphia Department of Licenses and Inspections and a garbage truck were at the property Tuesday evening. Philadelphia Gas Works also responded to the scene and shut off utility service to the home, according to a spokesperson.
Sources said the children are now with the Department of Human Services. Authorities continue to investigate both the federal and local aspects of the case.
Editor's note: The original report from the scene was that dead animals were found inside the home, but authorities have since clarified that no deceased animals were present.
