‘When I opened the door, approximately 50-plus roaches poured out.’
BY DAN HILDEBRAN
Monitor Editor
LAKE BUTLER— Union deputies arrested a 51-year-old Raiford woman after they discovered her 23-year-old autistic son dehydrated, covered in sores and locked behind a fence and gate in living conditions they said were unfit for humans or animals.
Mahaley Mae Harris was arrested on July 23 for misappropriation of public assistance funds, interference with the custody of a disabled person, abuse of an elderly or disabled adult without great bodily harm and animal abandonment without food, water or exercise.
In an arrest report, Deputy Staci L. Stock wrote that dispatchers received a call from the victim but could not understand him. They determined his location by tracing the call.
Stock reported that she had to use bolt cutters to enter the property and drove down a long driveway to the residence, which was not visible from the road and was covered with overgrown vegetation.
She described the 23-year-old in the single-wide as mentally disabled, autistic and virtually non-verbal.
“The victim indicated to Deputy Johnson and I that he was hot and hurting,” Stock wrote. “Large amounts of scratches and sores covered his body. (The victim) was wearing a shirt that was on backwards and clothing soiled. (He) was extremely dirty and unkept.
Emergency medical services evaluated the victim and determined he was overheated and dehydrated, but not to the point he had to be transported to a hospital.
The victim was provided with Gatorade and air conditioning on scene.
Pungent odor breaks through respirator facemask
Stock added that the smell coming from the trailer was so overpowering that Deputy Andrew Johnson put on a respirator facemask before entering the structure. However, Johnson said the smell was so strong it broke through the mask.
“There was human and K-9 fecal matter smeared on the door, walls, and even ceiling,” Stock wrote. “The odor of feces, urine and rotted food was extremely pungent and not safe to breathe. I looked inside the refrigerator to see if there was any food or drink for (the victim). When I opened the door, approximately 50-plus roaches poured out. The refrigerator was not working, and all contents were rotten. There was no air conditioning, merely one box fan and no open windows.”
Stock added that while attempting to locate the victim’s caretaker, she and Johnson discovered text messages between the victim and his mother: Harris.
One message from Harris to her son was a photo of a bag of food hanging from the locked gate of the property with the caption “dinner.”
Stock wrote that when Harris arrived at the home, the deputy detected a strong odor of alcohol coming from her.
“She explained that she locked the gate to keep him inside and from running away,” Stock wrote. “She also told us that the house had been just fine a few days ago.”
Food stamp card: $0 balance
The deputy wrote that three dogs were also found confined in the trailer with no food or water.
She added that Union County Animal Control responded and seized the dogs, which were in poor health and emaciated.
Stock reported that Harris turned over her food stamp card to a neighbor who agreed to care for the victim until he could be placed by Florida’s Department of Children and Families.
“Mahaley gave the card to (the neighbor),” wrote Stock. “When I asked for the PIN and balance so (the neighbor) could provide food for him, Mahaley gave the PIN and said the balance was $0. This meant that if we would not have been called by (the victim), it is highly possible that he would not have had much food, if any, until the first of the month when (the card) refills.”
Stock wrote that DCF investigators inspected the home and interviewed the victim and neighbor.
She added that a DCF investigator later contacted her for an update on the victim’s status.
“(He) is being placed in a group home,” Stock wrote of the 23-year-old, “where he will get the care he deserves.”
