Amanda Gaisford, a 37-year-old resident of Fanwood Court in Palm Coast, was charged with four felony counts of child neglect after authorities found a loaded firearm and numerous drugs within easy reach of the four young children she cares for, and a house in dire conditions. The house had no running water and was infested with insects and roaches.
Gaisford is the biological mother of two of the children at the house–a 16 year old and a 13 year old. She is also the primary caregiver and guardian of a 7 year old and a 9 year old whom her late mother had adopted.
Flagler County Sheriff’s deputies were called to the house after a weapons complaint Saturday. They secured a search warrant before five deputies searched the house, photographing every room before items were disturbed.
Deputies found a loaded Smith and Wesson 9mm SD9 VE semi-automatic handgun sitting on top of Disney DVDs, easily accessible to the household’s youngest children, in the bottom portion of the family entertainment center in the living room. All the children have access to the entertainment center.
Gaisford told authorities that was where “she typically keeps the firearm.” There were no safety measures with the gun. “The firearm was equipped with a Garno laser pointer and had a single Hornady 9mm bullet chambered and was in a ready state of operation to be fired,” a sheriff’s report states. Deputies eventually found the gun’s magazine inside a hamper in the master bedroom. The magazine contained 11 bullets.
In one of the children’s bedrooms–that of Gaisford’s teen-age son–deputies “observed a large amount of marijuana related paraphernalia, [including] lighters, baggies, smoking pipes, and other related items used for the packaging and usage of marijuana,” the report states. “Additionally, they recovered a small clear zip-lock baggie containing a white powdery residue.” Deputies located three 9mm Hornaday bullets under the blanket of the child’s bed. “It should be noted that there have been multiple narcotic complaints received by the Sheriffs Office regarding [the child]. There also exists an extensive call history pertaining to [the child] and this residence,” the report states.
Deputies also found the residence littered with numerous prescription bottles with various prescription pills. The pill bottles were observed loosely laying out in the open, on the floor, on tables, and in various open boxes, all accessible to the children. (Since before and after the pandemic, health authorities have been raising alarms about “an increased risk of both accidental and intentional exposure to children and adolescents” when prescription drugs are not properly secured in a house.)
“The living conditions that [Gaisford] was housing the above-mentioned children is inadequate, unsafe, with apparent hazards, and criminally negligent,” the sheriff’s report found.
There had not been any running water in the house for at least two weeks, according to Gaisford. The bathrooms had no flushing water. The toilets were filled with waste. During the investigation, Gaisford walked to Holland Park to use the public restroom there, telling deputies that’s what she and the children frequently did.
“The residence was infested with roaches, fleas, and other insects, making conditions that are likely to cause physical pain to the children located within the residence,” the report states. “The infestation would be avoidable if not for the hoarding conditions of the home, the trash and perishable items left within the home, and general level of completely unsanitary conditions observed.” The fridge had spoiled food. Bedrooms had open containers of spoiled or rotten food. Deputies had detected foul odors even from outside the house.
The Flagler County school district had reported to the Sheriff’s Office that one of Gaisford’s children hadn’t attended her middle school since Oct. 31. Gaisford said she was allowing her daughter to miss school and was trying to find her alternative schooling because the girl has numerous health issues, including infections.
The Florida Department of Children Families was notified and apprised of the situation at the Fanwood Court house, and Gaisford was taken to the county jail, where she was booked on $10,000 bond. She remained at the jail this morning.
Abuse Hotline: Report Abuse Online
The Florida Abuse Hotline accepts reports 24 hours a day and 7 days a week of known or suspected child abuse, neglect, or abandonment and reports of known or suspected abuse, neglect, or exploitation of a vulnerable adult. Please use the links below to report a child or adult abuse.
If you suspect or know of a child or vulnerable adult in immediate danger, call 911.
TEL: 1-800-962-2873
TTY: 711 or 1-800-955-8771
FAX: 1-800-914-0004
Any person who knows, or has reasonable cause to suspect, that a child is abused, abandoned, or neglected by a parent, legal custodian, caregiver, or other person responsible for the child’s welfare is a mandatory reporter. § 39.201(1)(a), Florida Statutes.
To report an allegation in Spanish or Creole, please call 1-800-962-2873, for TTY use 711 or 1-800-955-8771. This toll free number is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with counselors waiting to assist you.
E says
You say Report it, but when it is reported nothing is ever done. This was reported for months and these kids were not taken out of this house!
Doug says
I’m with “E” on this one. Things are frequently reported that either get ignored or abandoned.
Even in this case, the article says police were there for a weapons complaint, not because of the “extensive call history”
Marc says
These kinds of state agencies are purely funded and thus severely understaffed. They simply can’t keep up.
This race to the bottom to see who can have the lowest taxes and “smallest government” is extremely costly in the end.
Charles says
What is the Governor doing about this? Nothing as usual, he doesn’t do anything to better the State of Florida only himself.
Atwp says
Spending millions in worthless things like the Republican Party but ignore serious situations about our children. It will get worse after the planned Republican federal cuts.
Pamela says
DCF needs to start doing a better job for the children of Flagler County. And landlords need to be careful who they rent to and start checking on the tenants you do rent to.
Land of no turn signals says says
Just another mother of the year in Flagler county that we see over and over again.It is so sad that theses kids have no chance if they stay with momma trash.I going out on a limb and say it’s a rental.Sell the gun and pay your water bill.
CM says
If she sells the gun, what will she use to protect herself from the drug users when they come to the door? I guess they don’t know business well enough to make a profit!
Charles says
Sounds like she was dealing in drugs sales, so where did that money go? It wasn’t to pay the water bill. When utilities get turned off the owners of those properties need to be notified. Wake up State of Florida and Flagler County do the job the voters elect you to do.
Blue sky says
Not making excuses. I couldn’t imaging the stress. This outdated link is what this family was going through. Evidently everything fell upon this young mother and family all at once in the words of her son.
Outdated link but still visible. https://www.gofundme.com/f/will-help-pay-for-legal-fees-medical-and-possible-housing
Joe says
I live in this neighborhood and this has been going on for years… Take a look at the current/open court documents on the property and how they acquired the house to begin with and you may change your approach of sympathy towards the mother. It is absolutely horrible the conditions these kids have lived in and endured not for just months like this article states but in fact years like I said. It is a miracle that no one has been severely injured as this only covers 30% of the whole story of what actually has been going on here.
JC says
Hard to follow what’s happen with the Property Site. What’s the quick run down?
Lol says
This family stole this home from a 106 year old army veteran by lying, stealing, and cheating. No sympathy for this mother or her trashy parents. Those kids are better without her. Period. I hope she rots in jail.
Billy says
Typical palm coast, but realtors call it paradise
PDiddy says
How about a different approach to this type of situation. First off the city doesn’t cut your water off if you are a week behind in your payment, it usually takes a little while for them to shut off the meter, when this happens it should signal a red flag with utilities and maybe a notice would be sent to the Sheriff Dept for a simple wellness check. Not sure if this is possible, just a thought…
NBPort says
Three vehicles in driveway. Let’s just say she only owns 1 vehicle. That leave 2 vehicles and their scumbag owners / drivers who knew about this. They should share the same cell and work the same prisoner detail.
Bobby says
WESH reported this story on television this morning and showed photo’s of the inside of the house, it was disgusting, dirty is putting it mildly. This person has major issues and she needs a lot of help.
WESH reported the children are in DCF custody and lets hope the Judge does not give those children back to this person, she obviously doesn’t care about them after seeing the condition of the inside of this house.