Miami

Parents Arrested After Children Found Living in Garbage-Filled Home in North Miami

A North Miami couple is facing child neglect charges after police say they found their children living in deplorable conditions in a room covered in bugs and human feces.

Wanick Joseph Cadet, 35, and Lourdes Ruiz, 32, were arrested early Friday for willfully neglecting their three girls under the age of seven, according to a police report.

Cadet and Ruiz were were both released on $15,000 bond Friday evening.

According to the report, officers responded to a possible fire at the couple's home along northwest third avenue, and found garbage ankle-high and piled up throughout the residence.

Roaches and flies were found throughout the house and the toilet was filled to the rim with human feces, the report said.

The children were laying in one bed that had no sheets or bedspreads, and they were filthy and wearing only underwear, the report said.

Their room was filled with garbage and a bunk bed was covered in mold and feces, the report said.

Cadet's friend Mariel Desir is actually the one who called 911 about the filth, after she says he made an anonymous call.

"I called last night about 11 p.m." Desir said. "I was just so tired of it, he made the anonymous tip and I followed through, I can't take it any more," she said.

Cadet's friends are adamant that he isn't to blame. They say he tried to clean, even enlisted their help and it wasn't enough.

"We would come and clean up, throw everything into dumpsters and she would come screaming after work and bring everything back inside the house," Desir said.

"This house is unimaginable, unadaptable for any human to live in," Desir said. "Why would you put your children in here?" she added.

Police find both parents equally at fault. Neither one has been in trouble with the law before.

The three daughters are being taken care of by Cadet's mother. They are all said to be in good health.

When asked about the charges, the couple covered their faces and did not comment as they were released from jail.

Information about their attorneys wasn't available.

Contact Us