Sheriff's deputies in Augusta, Georgia, discovered three young children living in deplorable conditions while attempting to evict their parents from an apartment. The children, aged 3 months, 1 year, and 3 years, showed signs of severe neglect, leading to the arrest of Mackenzie Zoriah Whitfield and Anthony Clark Jr. Both parents now face multiple charges related to child cruelty.
Deputies from the Richmond County Sheriff's Office arrived at The Onyx apartments in Augusta on an eviction mission for 24-year-old Mackenzie Zoriah Whitfield and Anthony Clark Jr. Upon entering the residence, they were met with a strong odor of urine and feces. The apartment's floors were stained with human waste, littered with trash and rotten food, while live and dead bugs crawled amid dirty diapers, stained mattresses, and overflowing trash bins.
The three children—a 3-month-old boy, a 1-year-old girl, and a 3-year-old boy—exhibited clear signs of neglect. The infant had a flattened area on his head, a rash, and was lying in severely soiled bedding; he cried as deputies cleaned him. The 3-year-old boy had recently undergone a circumcision that had become infected, and his legs were covered in dried feces. One of the children was sleeping on the floor without a proper bed. Food supplies were minimal, consisting of a few canned goods and little that was edible.
One deputy described the scene: "The residence was in unbearable living conditions." Anthony Clark Jr. is the father of the two older children but not the 3-month-old boy. Following the discovery, all three children were placed in the custody of the Georgia Division of Family and Children Services.
Whitfield and Clark were arrested on three counts each of cruelty to children. Whitfield also faces a parole violation charge. Both remain in custody at the Charles B. Webster Detention Center, with court dates pending.