Evansville Burglary Call Leads Police to Severe Child Neglect in Infested Home

EVANSVILLE, IN — What started as a standard police response to a burglary call on Georgia Street quickly escalated into a severe child neglect investigation. Evansville police arrested two adults after discovering a home filled with waste, rotting food, and a massive rat infestation where two young children were living.

A Grim Discovery on Georgia Street

On April 22, 2026, officers with the Evansville Police Department arrived at a home on Georgia Street, near West Columbia and West Maryland streets, to investigate a burglary report. Upon entering the premises, officers were met with an overwhelming, pungent odor. They quickly realized that the residence was entirely uninhabitable.

According to police reports, the interior of the house was filled with piles of rotting food, trash, and animal feces. The home was infested with insects and rodents. One officer described seeing a rat inside a closet that was the size of a small opossum.

Children Living in Hazardous Conditions

Investigating officers found two children, ages 9 and 10, residing in the home. The children were interviewed by caseworkers from the Indiana Department of Child Services (DCS). They revealed that they had been forced to sleep upstairs to avoid the rats and had even set up a safety gate to try to block the rodents from entering the upper level of the house.

Upon realizing that the children would be removed by DCS, one of the adults, Jason Williams, initially claimed the children did not live at the house. He later admitted they did.

Arrests and Charges

Jason Williams and Jessica Williams were arrested at the scene. Both suspects were transported to the Vanderburgh County Jail and booked on felony charges of neglect of a dependent. The children were placed into protective custody by child welfare services.