Samantha Acker, Christopher Rounds, and the home where they lived with their 4 kids (Volusia County Sheriff’s Office)
A man and woman in Florida were arrested this week after school staff reported that a child in their care came to school filthy and with roaches in her backpack, leading authorities back to her home, which they described as being filthy and in “complete disarray.”
Samantha Acker and Christopher Rounds were taken into custody on Tuesday and charged with four counts each of neglect of a child, a third-degree felony, court records reviewed by Law&Crime show.
Rounds was also charged with one count of resisting an officer without violence.
According to a report from Orlando ABC affiliate WFTV, deputies with the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office on Sept. 12 responded to a call from school officials after a 15-year-old girl who is deaf and mute arrived at school unbathed, with dirty clothing and cockroaches in her backpack. The school notified the sheriff’s office and deputies responded to the home of Acker, 37, and Rounds, 36, located in Deltona.
In addition to the 15-year-old child, deputies said there were three other kids, ages 16, 10, and 8, who also lived in the home. Deputies said that all of the children were wearing clothing that had not been washed in a long time.
Upon arriving at the address, authorities said they found the home in “complete disarray,” describing it as appearing to be “completely infested” with cockroaches and other kinds of bugs, Orlando CBS affiliate WKMG-TV reported. The front of the home was reportedly blanketed with more than 200 smoked cigarette butts, there was partially eaten food throughout the home and on the floors next to trash and dirty dishes, and garbage piles blocked most of the doorways to the children’s bedroom where the bedding apparently had not been washed in some time. There was no working air conditioner despite temperatures regularly reaching close to 90 degrees.
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WFTV reported that despite the 15-year-old girl being deaf and mute since birth, no one in the household knew sign language or could competently communicate with the child. A preliminary investigation reportedly revealed that the Department of Children and Families had previously been called to the same address based on concerns that Acker and Rounds were providing “unsuitable living conditions” after one of the children was reported as having “chronic head lice.”
When speaking with authorities, Acker reportedly said that the condition of the house was “a mess but not that bad,” and blamed her children for never helping her clean the residence.
Rounds reportedly became verbally confrontational with the deputies who responded to his home, resulting in the resisting arrest charge. However, authorities say he later blamed the home’s deplorable state on the family having financial issues.
All four of the children were placed in the custody of DCF and relocated to temporary guardians. Deputies noted that none of the kids showed any signs of being physically abused.
The sheriff’s office did not immediately respond to messages from Law&Crime seeking additional details in the case.
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