Detectives accuse family of child neglect after investigating home in sexual abuse case
Jul. 6—Content Warning: The following article contains details which may be disturbing to some readers. The content is intended for a mature audience.
The foul odor inside was unbearable. The air was thick and musty which made breathing difficult. The carpet in the living room was saturated with so much urine and feces that it was smashed down to a hard surface. The walls were smeared with feces. Bags of food hung from the ceiling. A dead roach was removed from a child's ear canal.
These are the written words of Detective Sherae LeJeune of the Stillwater Police Department. In her arrest warrant affidavits for 35-year-old Steven Kittle, 36-year-old Lindsey Pratt and 59-year-old Robin Kittle, she detailed the conditions three children endured.
On March 1, SPD detectives arrived at the residence within the Eastern Villa mobile home park for a child sexual abuse investigation. The News Press previously reported that a detective said Steven confessed to seven sexual acts against a 4-year-old, the oldest child in the residence.
The child's grandfather expressed his concern to SPD when the child used lewd language to describe an incident, which he said he does not use around children.
Steven was arrested and charged with child sexual abuse. He has since pleaded not guilty, and a preliminary hearing is scheduled for Aug. 31.
On June 21, Steven Kittle, Pratt and Robin Kittle were charged with three counts of child neglect.
LeJeune arrived at the three bedroom, two bathroom, single wide trailer around noon on March 1.
"From where I stood on the front porch, I could smell a strong odor of urine and feces," she wrote in her affidavit. "I could see six dogs and one cat from where I stood. It did not appear as there was any flooring installed in the living room. There were dark stains assumedly caused by the animals defecating."
LeJeune said Robin Kittle answered the door and stepped outside with the youngest child, an 18-month-old. Steven Kittle, Pratt and the two other children — including a 1-year-old — weren't home.
"I immediately noticed (the 18-month-old's) hands were covered with dried feces, which she rubbed in her hair and eyes," LeJeune wrote. "(She) sounded congested. Her breathing was labored and her nose was running ... It was apparent she had not been attended to for some time."
SPD released clips of body camera footage that was recorded as detectives examined the residence.
The living room was more of a storage area for miscellaneous items. The kitchen counters were covered with food and dirty dishes.
LeJeune staggered at her first sight of the children's bedroom, which had walls smeared with handprints of feces and was locked from the outside. She said the 4-year-old later disclosed that the children were locked in the bedroom, and she found it impossible for small children to share the same space as the dogs without getting injured.
Detective Josh Carson is seen gagging and spitting up multiple times as he exits.
"Hand prints of s--- all over the entire room. Your feet just stick," Carson said to other officers standing outside. "That's the nastiest house I've ever been in ... I feel like I got a pretty strong gut. That was as nasty as I've ever seen."
SPD met with Steven and Pratt when they returned home. The former was placed under arrest.
The Department of Human Services took the children into their custody, and three dogs were submitted to animal welfare.
Medical personnel evaluated the children, LeJeune said, and there were many indicators of neglect.
"Their social and verbal skills were lacking for their ages. (They) communicated by pointing and grunting," LeJeune wrote. "They had an extreme aversion to bathing. They still used pull-ups and were not potty trained due to no guidance and inconsistent access to a bathroom. They showed signs of nutritional deficiencies and food scarcity. (The 18-month-old) had deformities in both legs, and a dead roach was removed from her ear canal."
Two days after Steven Kittle's arrest, Pratt met with detectives for an interview. LeJeune said she learned the following:
* The dogs were allowed to breed.
* The 18-month-old was confined to her crib with limited interaction.
* The other two children were locked in their bedroom 24 hours a day, every day for one year.
* The children didn't have any toys or comfort items because Steven Kittle took them away as a form of discipline.
* They had not received any medical attention in years.
The three adults charged face life in prison. Steven Kittle pleaded not guilty, and Robin Kittle and Lindsey Pratt did not have lawyers as of Wednesday.
