http://www.nwaonline.net/articles/2007/ ... itions.txt

Homeowner cited for filthy living conditions
17 people living in home

This article was published on Thursday, January 11, 2007 6:42 PM CST in News
By Trish Mehaffey
The Morning News

SPRINGDALE -- The front of the house at 1524 Pioneer St. looked fairly normal -- but when Springdale Police Sgt. Billy Turnbough went inside he wasn't prepared for what he stepped into.

There was about an inch of standing water in the living room from backed up sewage in the bathroom. The room was bare, except for a bunk bed unit piled high with clothes in the corner.

The kitchen sink was stopped up with water. The family of 17 living in the house used a 50-gallon trash can to dump out sink water so they could wash dishes, said Turnbough, a member of the Springdale Nuisance Abatement Partnership program. When the trash can filled with water, the family dumped it in the backyard.

In the bathroom a tub was filled with 8 to 10 inches of stagnant water and two toilets had overflowed.

Two families, seven adults and 10 children, ages 1 to 12, were living in the 1,016 square foot home, owned by Sergo Favela-Suarez, that had a maximum occupancy for five.

"There were four kids to one bed," Turnbough said.
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The size of the bedrooms allowed capacity for one or two people according to housing code, said Mike Chamlee, Springdale chief building inspector.

Two of the adults were handicapped, one man was in a wheelchair and a women was on crutches because she had a toe amputated as a result of diabetes, Turnbough said.

The house was littered with trash, moldy food and crumbs on the floors and had a horrible odor, but the worse was yet to come.

Turnbough walked into the backyard and discovered large amounts of human feces, wads of used toilet paper and other trash between the privacy fence and a shed. Grease used for cooking had been dumped on the grass and waste.

"They had been going outside because the plumbing was backed up. There was a roll of toilet paper on the fence. The neighbors couldn't see anything because of the fencing. It was horrible. This is the worse case I've seen," Turnbough said.

Turnbough had been alerted to the house Tuesday when a bondsman went to apprehend Sergo Favela-Suarez, 21, and two other occupants on outstanding warrants.

Sergo Favela-Suarez, found in the trunk of a car in the garage, was arrested on a Washington County warrant for failure to appear and possession of a controlled substance.

Leonel Favela-Suarez, 28, was arrested on a Lincoln warrant for contempt of court and Jose Favela, 22, was arrested on Elm Springs and Springdale warrants for contempt of court.

Neither Turnbough or Chamlee know how the three are related.

Sergo Favela-Suarez was cited for over-occupancy, property maintenance and unsightly or unsanitary condition violations, Chamlee said. The family was given 24 hours to fix the plumbing. The deadline was Thursday and it wasn't repaired.

Sergo Favela-Suarez may also face 10 counts of misdemeanor endangering the welfare of a minor, Turnbough said.

"They're not allowed to live there without a working sewer," Chamlee said. Police will secure the house to deter vandals. The house has been red tagged as unsanitary or unsafe.

The children and the two handicapped adults were taken by the Department of Human Services for placement in suitable housing.

The Springdale Nuisance Abatement Partnership program, established last year, is designed give police and code enforcement officers the authority to close unsafe, unsanitary homes and businesses. Property found to be in violation must be repaired before the owner can move back in or rent the property.