Parents arrested after grandma calls 911, says she’s ‘tired of taking care of all these kids’

CARROLL COUNTY, Ga. — Some Carroll County parents are facing child cruelty charges after deputies found they were living in an unclean home where food was kept under lock and key.

Deputies say they initially learned of the living conditions after a woman called them out to talk about her 10-year-old grandson riding his bike on the highway.

When they got there, they found the grandmother not watching the kids and she told them she was “tired of taking care of all these kids.”

She said their parents, 61-year-old Steve Bailey and 40-year-old Jessica Bailey, weren’t caring for the children and were only at the home when law enforcement was there, according to the incident report obtained by Channel 2 Action News.

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She also reported that it was so hot inside the Bailey family’s trailer that one of the children would sleep on the cold kitchen floor.

While deputies were on the phone with the Department of Family and Child Services, Jessica Bailey arrived home and began shouting at the kids, “Do you want to go back to foster care?” and told them to pick up the trash in the front yard.

As the deputy was talking to Jessica Bailey, she began to clean her home, including throwing away trash and moldy food.

The deputy said the smell of animal urine and feces was so strong in the home that it was difficult for him to breathe.

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He also noticed that the refrigerator and freezer had heavy-duty locks on them, keeping the children away from the food. Jessica Bailey said the kids went through the food too quickly, so Steve Bailey put the lock on the door to make it last longer.

The couple’s bedroom was kept significantly colder than the rest of the trailer and had a fully stocked mini fridge.

Both Steve and Jessica Bailey were arrested and charged with cruelty to children. They have since both bonded out of the Carroll County Jail.

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