A mother and father were arrested for allegedly forcing their seven children to live in “very deplorable and uninhabitable conditions” in their Tennessee home.
Jason Hoffer, 27, is accused of child endangerment and aggravated child abuse, and Amber Hoffer, 28, is also charged with child endangerment, according to a press release from the Knox County Sheriff’s Office.
The investigation began shortly before 7:30 a.m. Tuesday, when the sheriff’s office received a report of two small children standing alone in a wooded area in the 3000 block of Clear Springs Road in Mascot, which is located outside of Knoxville. Deputies determined that the two children lived nearby. They returned the children to their home and met with their parents, the Hoffers.
Cops discovered that seven children ranging in age from one month to seven years old lived at the house. Local CBS affiliate WVLT obtained arrest warrants stating that one of the two children out in the woods had severe bruising on his leg, while both claimed to be hungry and had not eaten in a long time. According to police reports, investigators discovered “very deplorable and uninhabitable conditions” inside the home. According to the complaint, trash covered the floor, and feces was smeared all over the walls and sink.
All of the children were transported to a local hospital for evaluation. During an interview, one of the boys reportedly stated that his father would make him stay in a dog cage in the middle of the living room. When the boy misbehaved, Jason Hoffer allegedly locked the crate and beat him with a metal pole inserted through the cage. The boy reportedly had “severe welts.”
According to cops, the child escaped and ran out of the house, prompting the investigation and arrest.
Police allegedly discovered the kennel in the home, noting that the family did not have any pets.
As of Sunday, Jason Hoffer was still in the Knox County Jail on a $55,000 bond. It appears that Amber Hoffer has since posted bond.
The Department of Children’s Services removed the seven children from their home.
