[Southsider2k12]

http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...ArticleID=12820

Twins in diapers found along Ind. 2
Police seek arrest warrant for parents

Kaitlin Vanderpool
For The News-Dispatch

LA PORTE - Police are seeking a warrant for the arrest of a La Porte couple after their 4-year-old twin boys were found running across Indiana 2 in "severely soiled" diapers late Sunday.

Officer Nathan Thode of the La Porte City Police Department said he received a report at about 11:30 p.m. of two small children, wearing only diapers, running in the street near Al's Supermarket, 702 E. Lincolnway.

Tracy Willis, 40, La Porte, who first called police, said she nearly hit the boys with her car when they ran into traffic on Indiana 2. With the help of Willis and others, Thode was able to collect the two boys before they ran into traffic again.

One boy was found on Lincolnway and the other in the Walgreen's parking lot.

The boys were taken to La Porte police headquarters, where clean diapers were put on them.

Thode said he called for assistance from other officers to find the boys' home. The 4-year-old twins initially were seen in the 300 east block of Lincolnway.

With the two boys in his squad car, Thode drove to the 300 east block of Lincolnway, where they pointed to the apartment house where they lived.

Officer Darin Mercer contacted the parents, Tommy and Leslie Santana, and told them their children were being taken to police headquarters, where Child Protective Services would be contacted.

Mercer reported the landing in the apartment was piled high with rotting garbage. He then met with Leslie Santana and asked her where her children were.

She reportedly told Mercer they were all inside the apartment. He asked her to please check to make sure, and she then reported her two twin boys were missing. Her other children, a 2-year-old and 13-year-old, were at home.

Mercer told Leslie Santana police had her two children and were investigating the incident.

According to the case report, as Mercer entered the apartment, he saw dirty dishes, day-old food and piles of garbage stacked in the corners of the kitchen.

"The smell inside the apartment was so bad that it actually made my eyes water," Mercer stated in the case report.

Mercer said there also was a dirty mattress in the living room and dirty clothes strewn on the floor. Mercer stated every room had some type of garbage or food rotting on the floor.

When Thode arrived at the department with the boys, he reported the boys waited with their mother for a representative of Child Protective Services.

After the CPS representative arrived and met with Leslie Santana, she told officers her CPS supervisor requested the children be released to the mother. A further investigation by CPS is planned.

According to the case report, a warrant was requested for the arrest of Tommy and Leslie Santana for two counts of neglect of a dependent, a Class D felony.

[Ang]

THEY GAVE THE CHILDREN BACK TO THEIR MOTHER?!?!?! Living in filth and decay and they gave the children back?!? That is just insane. They should've taken ALL of the children out of the home.

[ChickenCityRoller]

Birth Control.

[Dave]

Birth Control.

Licensing requirements for parenthood.

[Southsider2k12]

http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...83&TM=40589

Parents Of Twins Face Charges Of Neglect
The children were found running along Ind. 2 on April 27 wearing severely soiled diapers.

Timothy O’Connor
For The News-Dispatch

LA PORTE - The parents of two children who were found running across Indiana 2 on April 27 wearing severely soiled diapers have been arrested, according to authorities.

Tommy and Leslie Santana were arrested last week and have been charged with two counts of neglect of a dependent, a Class D Felony. An attorney was not listed on their court information and the couple's next court date has not been set.

The children were returned to their parents the same night they were discovered on Indiana 2.

Child Protective Services was to meet with the parents April 28 regarding the children, however, results of the investigation were not released.

A representative of CPS could not confirm whether or not the 4-year-old twin boys had been removed from their parents' home. However, she said the case met several criteria for the children's removal.

"This would be considered a possible neglect situation because we're talking about children who are running around without supervision," said Reba James, Child Protective Services regional manager for Region 2, which includes La Porte.

She added the home, described by police reports as being filled with piles of garbage and rotting food, was below what is considered minimum levels of care.

James said in such situations CPS takes into account if there has been any history with the family. Although James couldn't confirm such history, the CPS representative who responded to the report told La Porte City Police she was familiar with the family.

James said taking children away from their parents is the last option CPS utilizes and that the agency strives to serve the child's best interest.

"One of our values is children really should be with their parents if they can be," she said.

Timothy O'Connor is a reporter for the La Porte Herald-Argus.

[Ang]

Yeah, but if the parents are not properly caring for the children, then the children should be removed. This was obviously a case of not being properly cared for.

[Southsider2k12]

http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...amp;TM=33377.77

LP parents headed back to jail

Timothy O'Connor
For The News-Dispatch

LA PORTE - The parents of two children found running across Indiana 2 in their diapers last April are headed back to jail.

Tommy and Leslie Santana will serve two weekends in La Porte County Jail for violating the terms of their probation. Both admitted Oct. 21 to using marijuana within the previous five days.

Tommy Santana will serve his time Dec. 5-7 and 12-14. His wife will serve Dec. 19-21 and Jan. 1-4. Their probation was revoked Wednesday.

On April 27, the couple's twin 4-year-old boys were seen wearing soiled diapers and running on Indiana. 2. According to La Porte City Police Department reports, the children were returned to the Santanas that night.

Police reported finding piles of rotting garbage and food inside their home, which created an odor that caused one officer's eyes to water.

Both parents pleaded guilty to one charge of neglect of a dependent this summer. Tommy Santana received 365 days of probation. Leslie Santana got 30 days of jail to be served on weekends and 515 days of probation.

One of the terms of their probation was that they not purchase, possess or visit any place where illegal drugs are located.

[ChickenCityRoller]

great so these kids are being raised in a cesspool filled with weed smoke? Man, they were doomed from the get go. Sad.

[ANH27]

That's it????
Probation?? You'd get a more severe punishment for neglecting animals!
This is ridiculous!!