A couple from Georgia is currently in custody after being accused of forcing their 3-year-old son to live in a squalid shed without access to running water or electricity for nearly a month. The couple, identified as 35-year-old Joseph Matthew Turner and 34-year-old Sarah Elizabeth Pombert, are facing charges of second-degree cruelty to children.
The arrest warrant issued by the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office reveals that the couple had the child living in a shed situated behind their residence on Judge Avenue in Douglasville, a town approximately 20 miles west of Atlanta. The child was reportedly kept in these conditions for about three weeks.
The couple is alleged to have inflicted “cruel/excessive, mental/physical pain” on the child by confining him in a “dirty living space in a shed without running water or electricity.” The child was reportedly left unsupervised, unbathed, and unclothed due to the couple’s criminal negligence. The alleged neglect took place between May 1 and May 22.
The charges were filed against the couple on May 29, and they were subsequently arrested on June 2, as per court documents. The investigation into the couple’s alleged neglect was sparked when the shed where the child was living burned down over Memorial Day Weekend.
Matthew Govoni, a neighbor, told local ABC affiliate WSB that there was a massive fire with explosions that destroyed the shed. The arrest warrant did not provide details about the fire or how the investigators uncovered the alleged abuse. The child was not injured in the fire.
Govoni also shared that the couple had been living in the home for about a decade and were not considered good neighbors. He expressed no surprise at the allegations, citing the couple’s lifestyle. He expressed sympathy for the child, hoping that the boy could find help.
As of the most recent reports, both Turner and Pombert are being held in the Douglas County Jail. It remains unclear whether they have legal representation.