Greensburg woman charged after children found living amid mold, feces

A Greensburg woman has been charged by city police with simple assault and endangering the welfare of children after a relative accused her of harming three children in the household and investigators discovered filthy conditions in the woman’s home.

The investigation of Katie Atkinson, 23, of Greensburg, began with a Child Line call police received on July 8, according to court documents.

An uncle who had taken over care of two of the children told investigating officer Garret McNamara that he’d seen the children eating moldy food in Atkinson’s home and that they were wearing soiled, stained clothes, according to a criminal complaint McNamara filed against Atkinson.

McNamara said the two children “had injuries on their bodies which appeared to be over the course of a time.”

He said medical records of one of the two children show “a high concern for physical abuse.”

Police were unable to contact Atkinson but obtained a warrant to search her home at the rear of East Pittsburgh Street.

In court documents, McNamara said he found dirty conditions including food on the floor and walls, maggots crawling in feces on a closet floor, dirty diapers on tables and “soiled and dirty clothing everywhere.”

According to McNamara, “The children’s bedrooms were just a mattress with blood stains and a blanket.” He said a wire across an adult’s bedroom “appeared to be a makeshift lock to keep the children from entering.”

Atkinson was arraigned Thursday before Greensburg District Judge Chris Flanigan and was released on unsecured bail of $25,000.

She faces a preliminary hearing before Flanigan on Thursday.

Online court records don’t list an attorney for Atkinson. She could not be reached Monday evening.