CARBONDALE -- Neighbors and law enforcement are surprised by a case of alleged child neglect in Lackawanna County.
A set of parents in Carbondale is behind bars because of what police call "deplorable" conditions in their home.
Carbondale's code enforcement officer, Chris Pezak, says he's never seen anything like what he saw when he was called to a double-block home on Archbald Street over the weekend.
"I can't imagine anyone living in there, I can't imagine an animal living in there, that's the worst part, there were no animals in there," Pezak said.
One side of the duplex was home to a nine-year-old and two-year-old.
Their parents, Amanda Davis and Mark Wagner were charged with child endangerment and assault after police stopped by the house on Saturday for a disturbance call.
In court papers, officers said they found the couple's two children suffering from flea bites and living among piles of rotten food, maggots and animal waste.
"This is probably one of the worst, personally having a flea infestation on your person. That's something no one should have to experience," Pezak added.
The building's owner did not want to talk with Newswatch 16 on camera but he did say that he was in the process of evicting Wagner and Davis. He said his tenants had only 10 days until they were going to be forced out.
Neighbors on Archbald Street didn't know how bad the conditions inside the home had become.
"They [police] did an excellent job picking this out and finding this, basically, probably saving these kids' lives," Pezak said.
Police say the children were taken to live with relatives. Amanda Davis and Mark Wagner remain locked up in Lackawanna County Prison.