A chilling incident in Dubuque, Iowa, has led to the arrest of two parents after their one-year-old son was found unconscious with his head submerged in a bucket of bleach.
Authorities believe the terrifying accident occurred while the parents were distracted and left the toddler unattended.
Disturbing Discovery in a Filthy Home
Scott Marcov, 30, and his wife Madelyn, 28, were charged with neglect following the October 1 incident.
Police rushed to the family’s home after receiving frantic 911 calls from the parents.
Upon arrival, they found the home in a dismal state, described as “filthy” with mice scurrying across the floors and a dead mouse found in the kitchen.
Garbage and rotting food were scattered throughout the house, and shockingly, a used diaper was discovered inside a cooking pot.
The Heart-Stopping Moment
Investigators revealed that the young child’s head had been submerged in bleach water for an “undisclosed amount of time.”
At the time of the incident, the father was in the bathroom while the mother was in the living room.
It was only when another child in the home found the unconscious toddler and screamed for help that the mother finally called 911.
A Frantic Rescue
The one-year-old was rushed to the hospital, where doctors had to intubate him and later transferred him to a specialist facility at the University of Iowa Hospital.
He was suffering from acute respiratory failure and loss of consciousness, according to the affidavit.
Parental Charges and Ongoing Investigation
Both parents now face serious charges of neglect or abandonment of a dependent person.
The investigation into their home life has left the authorities shocked by the unsanitary conditions and their apparent disregard for their children’s well-being.
A Troubling History of Alleged Abuse
This case follows another tragic incident involving bleach.
In December, an eight-year-old girl revealed that her mother, Joanne Zephir, allegedly forced her and her toddler sister to drink bleach mixed with milk.
The three-year-old tragically passed away after being subjected to this horrific act, with the surviving daughter recalling the mixture tasting “yucky” and burning her tongue.
Joanne Zephir had been facing charges of attempted murder after her husband survived a stabbing, and the children’s testimony has now added another layer of horror to the case.
As these disturbing cases unfold, authorities continue to investigate both families, highlighting the ongoing challenges in protecting vulnerable children from neglect and abuse.