Two Toddlers Removed from 'Filthy' Philly Home

A Philadelphia woman, who has an inactive case in Lansdale Borough for theft and fraud, has been charged with narcotics violations, endangering the welfare of a child and reckless endangerment after police found her two young children living in squalor.

Dawn Canterbury, 31, of the 100 block of Snyder Avenue, Philadelphia, has not paid her rent in months and her current landlords were in the process of taking her to court before an incident on March 2 in Philadelphia, according to NBC10.

According to the article, on March 2 around 1:45 a.m., police conducted a vehicle search on a blue Ford Escape on the 2200 block of South 12th Street, in which Canterbury was a passenger.

While searching her vehicle police say they found narcotics as well as an outstanding warrant for fraud in Lansdale, according to the article.

A criminal docket sheet from District Judge Harold Borek was filed August 26, 2004, according to county records.

The case is listed as inactive. As of August 2004, Canterbury was awaiting a preliminary hearing on five charges from July 2004.

She is charged with theft by deception, theft by unlawful taking, receiving solen property, forgery by altering writing and writing bad checks, according to the county docket sheet.

Police said Canterbury asked them to check on her two children at her apartment.

According to the article, when police arrived at the second-floor apartment, they found a 3-year-old boy and 1-year-old boy living in filthy conditions.

The 3-year-old was found inside the living room while the 1-year-old was found inside a crib, according to police.

Investigators say the apartment had rats on the floor and garbage everywhere, according to the article.

According to a 6abc.com article, other witnesses said the apartment conditions would bring tears to your eyes.

"It's filthy," Philadelphia Police Lieutenant Anthony McFadden was quoted in the 6abc.com article. "There's dirt all throughout the house. There's not one clean speck. From floor to ceiling there are signs of insect and rodent infestations."

Landlords have had to pay city fines because Canterbury allegedly throws her trash outside the window, according to the NBC10 article.

According to the 6abc.com article, neighbors told police that, instead of placing trash at the curb, someone in the apartment would just pitch trash, including dirty diapers and cigarettes, onto the sidewalk from the second-story landing.