Ada County Sheriff’s Office deputies declared a 3-year-old girl to be in imminent danger over the weekend after they discovered she had easy access to syringes and methamphetamine -— and was living in unsanitary conditions —- at her south Ada County home, according to an ACSO news release.
Deputies charged the girl’s father, 28-year-old Jeffery Hunter, with felony injury to child. He is being held in the Ada County Jail.
Deputies began their investigation just before 7 p.m. Sunday after getting a report about living conditions in the home, in the Five Mile Road/Tanglewood Drive neighborhood.
When deputies arrived and spoke with Hunter at the door of the home, they could see that the oven inside the house was on, with the heating element glowing orange and the oven door open, the news release stated. Deputies reported seeing a dirty carpet, holes in a wall, and could smell marijuana.
After deputies entered the home, they saw a syringe on a chair, which was easily accessible to the toddler. There were also exposed wires coming from an electrical outlet and at least one knife lying on the counter in the kitchen, the news release said.
Hunter told them the oven was on and open to heat the house, because the furnace “did not work.” The home did not have running water or a working toilet, and the toilet and tub had fecal matter on them, according to the release.
Deputies declared the toddler to be in imminent danger and placed her in the custody of the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare.
They then arrested Hunter and booked him into the Ada County Jail.
If convicted of the crime, Hunter could face up to fourteen years in prison.
