Vernon police: Woman left 4 children home alone to go to NY

VERNON, CT (WFSB) - A woman in Vernon was charged with risk of injury to a child for leaving 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 Terrace Drive home on November 8.

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

Police described the living conditions as deplorable. The three youngest children were naked and the oldest did not have any shoes.

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

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

The children had no clean space to wash themselves or brush their teeth.

The kitchen was filled with old food, toys, dirt, clothes, and trash. The fridge was empty except for expired milk and a bottle of juice.

Police also observed human and cat feces on the floor and had to direct the children not to step in it multiple times.

In the hours while police were in the home, they say the children were eating moldy food off the ground.

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

They found Powell had left her children alone and traveled to New York.

DCF workers arrived at the home and, after completing their investigation, removed the children from the apartment.

Police found her in Poughkeepsie, NY. She was arrested by New York authorities in Putnam County.

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

Police believe she had no intention of returning to care for her kids.

“It breaks my heart,” said Shannon Moderacki, who was visiting a friend in Vernon.

“Definitely jail time. It’s terrible. Crimes against kids in my eyes are some of the worst,” added Gabriel Rivera, who was also visiting a friend in Vernon.

Powell was extradited back to Connecticut on Monday.

She was charged with four counts of risk of injury to a child.

Powell was arraigned in Vernon and held in lieu of a $250,000 surety bond.

READ THE FULL ARREST WARRANT: