13 children removed from parents’ care after being found living in ‘infested and filthy’ home

TOLEDO, Ohio (WTVG/Gray News) - New body camera video from Toledo police shows what officers saw before 13 children were removed from a home they described as being “infested and filthy.”

“What is that stench?” is the first thing a Toledo police officer can be heard saying as she approached the home on Raymer Street on Aug. 10.

Officers were originally sent to the home for potential animal neglect.

A 911 caller, who knew the family, told operators that day she was worried about a kitten that was allegedly paralyzed after being thrown down the stairs.

The body camera video shows officers talking to Angel Oliveri, one of the adults living in the home. He denied knowing about a hurt cat.

Police went inside to continue their investigation, but instead of cats, officers were greeted by a large group of children.

According to police, 13 kids were living in the home. The youngest was an infant, and the oldest was 13 years old.

As the officers looked for cats around the house, they saw conditions described as “deplorable.”

The video shows bugs flying around the children and trash on the ground.

In court documents, police described multiple bug infestations and animal and human feces on the floor. Police said the children appeared as if they had not bathed in days.

“I need you to go inside and just look around and tell me what you’re thinking about this entire setup in here,” an officer can be heard saying in the video.

As the other officers go inside, the officer continues to talk to Oliveri.

“It’s one thing if adults want to live in filth, in their own filth, and not take care of themselves. You’re adults, if you want to live that way, these kids didn’t sign up for that,” the officer said.

In the video, Oliveri explained that five of the kids belong to him and his fiancée, Cassandra Lambert, with the other eight living in the home belonging to Lambert’s sister, who is also named Angel and lives with the couple.

The officer then discovered that Oliveri had a warrant for his arrest and took him into custody. The Body camera footage then shows Angel Lambert arriving just as Oliveri is being put into handcuffs.

The officer then begins speaking to her: “When we go inside and see what we saw, the living conditions here for this house and these kids living here, we have a big, big problem,” the officer said.

The Lambert sisters were also later arrested by Toledo police.

According to children’s services, the 13 kids were removed from their parents’ care.

The three adults were released on their own recognizance and were ordered not to contact any of the children.

Oliveri and the Lambert sisters are each being tried in court for multiple counts of endangering children.