Police investigating abuse served more warrants Lackawanna Child Welfare agency

Dec. 15—Scranton police served two more search warrants at the Lackawanna County Office of Youth and Family Services on Monday as part of an investigation into children who were found living in deplorable conditions at two city homes.

The warrants seek records relating to the agency's handling of the cases of Heather Hallock, whose two children were found living with her in a animal feces- and garbage-filled apartment at 936 Madison Ave., and Christina Gursky and Antoine Snowden, who also were found to be living with three children in an animal feces-filled apartment at 1513 Vine St.

The documents indicate police are investigating possible crimes of endangering the welfare of children and intimidation and obstruction in child abuse cases. They do not identify who is the focus of the investigation.

Lackawanna County District Attorney Mark Powell said the warrants are part of an ongoing investigation of "incidents of children being at risk." He declined to comment further.

The warrants come about a month after city police filed a warrant seeking records relating to the agency's handling of the case of Roseanna Chalus-Glover, who was found dead on Oct. 26 at 849 Capouse Ave. Three of her children were found living in an apartment littered with human waste, garbage and spoiled food.

The latest warrants describe equally disturbing conditions that were found at the Hallock and Gursky residences. The warrant related to Hallock's case also raises questions regarding possible obstruction of the investigation, alleging Hallock's caseworker, Jen Dunston, ordered Hallock not to talk to police and advised her to get a lawyer.

County solicitor Frank Ruggiero said the agency is cooperating with the investigation. He said none of the caseworkers, to his knowledge, have been placed on leave.

"Based on the information we have, we don't have anything to believe those allegations are anything more than allegations," Ruggiero said. "They are one side of the story. I'm sure the other side, in due course, will come out."

Authorities were alerted to the issues by the animal control officer, Katie Gallone, who was called to investigate suspected animal abuse/neglect, according to affidavits filed in support of both warrants filed by Detective Jennifer Gerrity.

In Hallock's case, police were called to the home on Oct. 14. The smell of feces and rotten garbage was so strong they had to don respirators to enter the structure.

Once inside, they discovered the walls and floors were covered in urine and feces left by the eight dogs and 12 cats that lived with Hallock, her mother, boyfriend and her two children, ages 9 and 10. Officers were swarmed by fleas and mites as they entered one room, where they found a shredded mattress covered in cat feces and urine. They also learned the home had no heat and that electricity was supplied by extension cords.

Officers took the children into protective custody and they were placed with a foster family, Powell said.

Police later interviewed two sets of foster parents who cared for the children, who said they repeatedly called Dunston to report the children were being abused.

Among other issues, they told Dunston the children's clothing would be covered in dog feces and urine, that the home was littered with garbage from "the floor to ceiling." Dunston did not heed their warnings, telling them what they were describing "was not abuse."

A teacher at Robert Morris Elementary School also told police the 9-year-old boy would come to school starving and had to wear pull up-style diapers because he had not been toilet trained. The agency was aware of the issues, but did not act, the teacher said.

Police also interviewed Hallock, who said there was often little food in the home and that the food that was there was spoiled due to urine and feces from the dogs. She also said she reported suspicions the children were being sexually abused by a relative. Police learned an appointment was scheduled with the Children's Advocacy Center, but it was cancelled without cause.

The affidavit in the Gursky case describes similar filthy conditions under which she, Snowden, an infant and two children, ages 2 and 3, lived. Powell said the children are now in a safe environment, but declined to provide further details.

According to the affidavit, police were called to the home on Nov. 3 to check on a report of carbon monoxide exposure. They discovered dried and wet cat feces all over the floor and walls. The children were found playing on bed soaked in cat urine and feces.

Police interviewed Gursky, who said her caseworker, Amy Helcoski, had been to the apartment many times, including times when it was "much worse," but never expressed any concerns.

Gerrity also notes Gallone expressed concerns to Helcoski about the living conditions she witnessed while investigating suspected animal abuse. In a Nov. 14 email, she described an overwhelming smell of ammonia, as well as cat litter dust in the air, which created "a very dangerous environment for cats, let alone a baby."

In an email reply sent the same day, Helcoski thanked her for the information and said she had never been in the "cat room" because she is allergic.

"It is disgusting. Poor cats," she wrote.

Contact the writer: tbesecker@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9137; @tmbeseckerTT on Twitter.