Portsmouth Police, investigating a report that a coup of kids beat up a boy near 6th and Boundary, discovered that the child was also facing an unsafe home situation. Police gave the other children a warning and followed the boy home to ensure his safety.
What they found when they got there prompted a call to CPS. Officers noted there was no food, exposed electrical wires, and bed bugs in the home where three children lived.
Officers also got in touch with Portsmouth Code Enforcement about the conditions at the home. A CPS worker said they could contact their supervisor.
CPS responded to the home in about 30 minutes. The father was reluctant to allow CPS in, but eventually allowed them to look around as long as they didn’t go upstairs. He refused to let police inside the house.
CPS said the house was not safe for children but agreed to allow them to stay in the home if the family immediately began to clean up. The agency provided a dumpster for the family to use and said Code Enforcement would follow up the next day.
