CHRISTIANSBURG, Va. – A Christiansburg couple is being investigated for child abuse for allegedly keeping children in a home with a floor matted with dog feces and a kitchen sink full of dirty dishes and mold.
Victoria Crockett, the children's mother, and Benjamin Crockett, the children's stepfather, are now charged with four counts each of child abuse.
Their home, which is on the 1300 block of Dow Street, is close to Christiansburg Middle School.
According to a search warrant, investigators found a large box inside the home that contained nine pistols, all loaded with a round in the chamber, plus seven cases of ammunition sitting on the floor at the front door. Benjamin Crockett is a convicted felon.
There were a total of seven adult dogs and 12 puppies in the basement, according to a search warrant. The entire downstairs floor was matted with dog feces, causing an "unbearable smell." Dog feces was also on the walls, and was found in almost every room in the house.
The paperwork stated that a child's room had dog feces on the floor, the bedding was dirty, and all the clothes in the dresser were "filthy and smelled of dog urine."
The heat pump in the home is not functional and the house was found at 62 degrees. The windows in the basement are boarded up.
The only livable room in the home was the master bedroom, according to the search warrant.
The children have been placed with family members.
Victoria and her husband face an additional felony charge that has yet to be served.
Victoria's bond hearing was continued to Tuesday at 9:30 a.m.