Woman left her 4 children alone at home for days to go to New York

VERNON, CT (WFSB) – A Vernon woman was charged with risk of injury to a child after she left her four children under the age of 11 home alone without food, clothing or proper care.

The woman, identified as 40-year-old Lindsey Powell, was arrested following a welfare check at her home on Terrace Drive on Nov. 8.

Vernon police said they found all four children, ages 11, 6, 4 and 5, had been left alone in the apartment.

Police described living conditions as deplorable. The three youngest children were naked and the oldest had no shoes.

Powell had previously told officers that the three youngest children had autism.

The two-bedroom apartment was covered in dirt and trash. There were no beds in the bedrooms. The children were sleeping on a sofa bed next to a dirty guinea pig cage.

There was no clean area for children to wash themselves or brush their teeth.

The kitchen was full of old food, toys, dirt, clothes and garbage. The refrigerator was empty except for expired milk and a bottle of juice.

Police also observed human and cat feces on the floor and had to repeatedly instruct children not to step on it.

It was stated that the children were eating moldy food on the floor while the police were at home.

A joint investigation was launched with the Department of State for Children and Families.

They found that Powell left her children alone and went to New York.

DCF employees came to the house, completed their inspection, and removed the children from the apartment.

Police found him in Poughkeepsie, New York. He was arrested by New York authorities in Putnam County.

She told police she was overwhelmed by the responsibility of caring for her children and left to escape the stress.

Powell was extradited to Connecticut on Monday.

He was charged with four charges relating to risk of harm to a child.

Powell was arraigned in Vernon and held in lieu of $250,000 bail.

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