According to the State Department of Children and Families (DCF), Connecticut child welfare authorities had received 18 previous reports about the family of a toddler who died after falling from a third-floor window.
Tabitha Frank, 34, the mother of the two-year-old boy, Corneliuz Williams, was arrested and charged with manslaughter on August 3, police reported.
The arrest warrant revealed that responding officers found unsanitary living conditions at the home.
The apartment showed signs of neglect, including bugs, spoiled food, discarded liquids, and garbage.
The odor of human waste was also present in the home, painting a concerning picture of the children’s environment.
Over a month before the incident, DCF had visited Frank’s home and concluded that no further child protective services intervention was needed. The case was in the process of being closed.
DCF highlighted the significance of community involvement in child safety, emphasizing the role of family, neighbors, professionals, and concerned citizens in maintaining a secure home for children.
Emergency services and law enforcement promptly responded to the incident on July 22, in the 1000 block of Capitol Avenue. The toddler, Corneliuz, passed away two days later in a children’s hospital. The situation was compounded by Frank leaving five children aged 2 to 12 unattended in the unsanitary apartment. In court, she said that her 12-year-old was watching the kids and that her husband was on his way to the residence.
Reportedly, a window screen had detached prior to the child’s fall. Frank had left for a store to buy necessities when the accident happened. Initially apprehended for offenses including endangering children and leaving them unattended, Frank now faces additional charges as investigations continue.
Frank faced the judge at Hartford Superior Court on August 3. She also made an appeal to the public for assistance burying her son, and denied reports that she was a bad mother and kept unsanitary conditions in her home.