After the 14-year-old girl, the oldest of five children, called authorities to report that she was having suicidal thoughts on Halloween afternoon, that her house was unlivable and that her parents were gone all the time, deputies and the Department of Children and Families intervened, apparently not the first time for DCF–county animal control had contacted the agency previously–and the parents were arrested.
The conditions of the children’s house on Water Oak Road in the western part of Daytona North, or the Mondex, was deplorable as law enforcement officials had seen in recent years–no running water, little to no food, filth coating floors, clothes and appliances, and the five children in shabby conditions. They’d last bathed days earlier, and only because their parents had taken them to a campsite nearby. Numerous pets were in and around the house as well, on a property that had been the subject of numerous legal actions by county animal control in 2016 and last May.
The parents, Betty Allen, 42, and Dennis Allen, 44, each face felony negligence charges. They spent 24 hours at the Flagler County jail but posted bail on $5,000 bond each the afternoon of Nov. 2, and were able to return home. But by then they faced a no-contact order: they could not see their children, as is common in pre-trial cases involving child neglect or abuse of any sort.
Today Flagler County Circuit Court got a letter from Dennis and Betty Allen: “During our initial court hearing and our first appearance video conference with the judge,” they wrote, “the No Contact order was to be at DCF’s discretion. We ask that, if at all possible, we would like to visit our children and let them know that we are alright.”
The children and their pets had all been dispersed: the girls to one foster family, the boys to another, according to the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office. The Community Partnership for Children is working on a plan to unite the children under the same roof. Their pets were all taken in by Flagler County Animal Control: four dogs, a chicken, a rooster, a rabbit and a guinea pig. After getting out of jail, the Allen parents signed the pets over to animal control, relinquishing custody and avoiding any further legal battles on that score.“This way they can go up for adoption and start for a new life sooner rather than wait for a custody battle,” Amy Carotenuto, who heads the Flagler Humane Society, said today. There’s already interest from someone looking to adopt the rabbit. “I feel bad for the kids. I’m sure they love those animals.”
But the animals were themselves in deplorable condition when they arrived at the Humane Society. “They were covered with fleas,” Carotenuto said.
She was familiar with the recurring issues with animal control there. “We had called DCF two- three years ago, because we had concerns from what we saw from the outside,” Carotenuto said. It’s not clear why nothing had been done until now. The children were ostensibly home-schooled, but the 14 year old told authorities that she wasn’t being taught anything, and that the parents were away from the house from noon to midnight, working.
Since the story was publicized, the sheriff’s office and the Department of Children and Families received an outpouring of support for the children from the community, with DCF initially setting up a donation drop-off point. Today, the sheriff’s office issued a release listing the Community Baptist Church at 956 S. Old Dixie Highway in Bunnell as a designated collection site for donations for the children. Donations will be collected on site from 9 a.m. until noon on Monday through Thursday.
Those wishing to donate financially can mail or drop off a check to the church made out to Community Baptist Church with “Allen Children” written in the memo line on the check. Financial donations can also be made online. For questions, contact the church at 386-437-1010 or send an email to [email protected] These funds will be managed by the church staff and distributed for each child’s needs equally. Donated money will not go to the parents.The children are in need of new or gently used clothing, underwear, socks, and shoes. The girls are 14, 12 and 8, the boys are 9 and 6.
“I am so impressed with the community’s desire to help these children in need,” Sheriff Rick Staly said. “Thank you for coming together to help and support them and thank you to the Community Baptist Church for stepping up to help them and for looking out for them.” The sheriff, the release stated, looked into placing the children at the Florida Sheriff’s Youth Ranches, but placement is up to DCF and the court.
ASF says
No money to feed their dependents but they sure were quick enough to scare up their bond.
Murphy says
The young ones were not homeschooled and attended BES
ASF says
@Murphy says–It sounds like the parents needed the older ones to be their “helpers.” That didn’t leave room for the older siblings to get an education so much as work as their parents housekeepers and baby-sitters. The school, likewise, probably served as the baby-sitters and a convenient outlet to make sure the children were fed at least one meal a day. The parents sure didn’t look like they were starving. I am sorry, but if you don’t have the resources to care for children properly, you shouldn’t be having children.
Land of no turn signals says says
Have more kids than you can afford,have more animals than you can afford.Now tax payers lose,leave the parent’s in jail to rot.
Jimbo99 says
In the land of a Trump marginal employment economy, how could this possibly happen. Instead of getting the family on their feet with something real, they take inventory and seek others to bail out the children & the pets, while criminalizing the parents who were actually working jobs. Does it get any better than that for solutions ? Not justifying the parents, because they just kept having children & pets. This is going to be one big mess of perpetual poverty going forward.
Trailer Bob says
“These funds will be managed by the church staff and disturbed for each child’s needs equally. Donated money will not go to the parents.” So, the funds will be “disturbed”? That doesn’t sound very god…
Eva says
I am praying this finally gets the swift attention it deserves and these children are away from these sick adults for good. They do not deserve continued uncertainty on top of all the trauma they have endured for so long. Shattering. I hope we all in this community can contribute in any way we can to their well being.
Sally says
I pray these children are permitted to return to these parents. I fear for that brave little girl that almost took her own life over her parents neglect. What will prevent these parents from going back to their old ways of no food, no water in the home, filthy conditions, deplorable environment since, the system let them down for quite some time? The system failed these children and what is going to stop that to happen again. Sad to say but this is a disgrace.
Mary Fusco says
Sally, sorry but the system did not fail these children. Their parents did. This grime and filth did not happen overnight. According to FB, The mother just went back to work a few weeks ago. How can anyone justify allowing dogs to poop and pee on the floor and leave it there, no sheets on kids beds, no food, no toilet facilities, couldn’t even see the floors for the debris on them. This smells of laziness to me. Children and animals are defenseless. They have no recourse but to go with the program. This situation is a disgrace and it goes way beyond messy. It is a health hazard. My heart breaks for those poor children and what they are going through and their uncertain future.
Mary Berger says
I agree 100%.
Please do not send
these innocents
back to that sick
environment.
Family says
Um sorry too bust your bubble but she wasn’t thinking suicide because of her parents she was being bullied in school and it’s really f*** up for this to even be on the news because half of it is fake I’ve know this family since I was a baby they have bills to pay THEY HAD FOOD they were at the store at least 10 times a day getting food always asking the kids what they wanted or needed how would y’all like it if y’all’s business was on the news like this and was being trashed talked YOU WOULD F****** LIKE IT now I best believe y’all keep y’all’s mouths shut until you know the TRUTH
Citizen says
If you’re family then why didn’t you help them. They are trash just like what was in their house
Sally says
I meant in my previous statement I hope these children ARE NOT PERMITTED TO RETURN TO THEIR PARENTS.
Jimmy Carr says
I came from a bad home like this and I can see were the children are coming from but I had it a lot worse my uncle use to do bad things to us kids and I tried to tell and I used to get im trouble for that and I tried to commit suicid my self. So please help these kids with all your heart because they really need the help too get over this kind of thing there parents really didn’t know what they really had in mind when they left the kid’s alone at night and by thereself. I have only one thing to say is to please help these kids in any way you can and hold your head up high and say I helped those kids are I am proud. Thanks for your help
Ritchie says
I did not see a reason to punish this family.
The parents were working. They definitely needed help managing their life and the lives of their children and animals.
They had this many children and this horde of animals which is a sign of good hearted people.
Get them help and support and keep this family together.
Eva says
Ritchie, if only that could work but the conditions? For so many years? You can’t have children be at risk to “hope” sick adults get better. Both working jobs and the home in that condition!! No way. While I pray for those adults to get the help they need, it won’t be quick enough to keep those kids stable and healthy.
Family says
This hasn’t always been like this funny how you think you know it’s been going on this long but it hasn’t
ASF says
Hoarders often “hoard” animals–it is part of their illness.
Bill says
A sad situation. I hope the KIDS get all the help they can. As for “Mom n Dad” lets see all the whys of their neglect before we condemn them to life in jail OR give them money and assistance. I do believe personally they have issues beyond child care abilities.
Mary Fusco says
Bill, I agree they may be mentally ill, although I doubt it. They’re just pigs. I raised 4 children, they have 5. We did not have a lot of money but I can tell you, my children had food and clean beds to sleep in. We also had pets and never had pee and poop stuck to the floors because we were too lazy or stupid to let them out or walk them. There was never a dish left in a sink when I went to bed. A kitchen like they had is a complete filthy disgrace I don’t know what the answer is for these poor, innocent children. But these 2 pigs are never going to change. BTW, I’m 73 and still clean my house. There is no excuse.
Karen says
This happens too often .
If they were being checked on by social services already who dropped the ball???? Obviously they have been to the home before … Sorry no pitty on the parents and if DCF went to that home before why wasn’t that taken care of . So sick of these situations and the only ones that suffer are the children and in this case the animals .
They were given Bail… $5000????
Seriously
ASF says
The operative fact for me was not that their bail was low but that they came up with it almost instantaneously–and yet, they just couldn’t manage to feed their children. Hmmmmm….