DCF gets involved after Ormond Beach couple found living in ‘deplorable' conditions

ORMOND BEACH, Fla. — The Florida Department of Children and Families has gotten involved with an Ormond Beach couple after they were found living in "deplorable" conditions, Volusia County deputies said.

Neighbors said the 59-year-old man, who is paralyzed from the waist down, and his wife, who is mentally disabled, would walk up and down the street, but no one ever saw the inside of their home.

Connie Whitehead contacted a domestic violence coalition after she became concerned about some of the things the wife told her.

When deputies arrived, they found the home in an unlivable condition, with “feces in bags and buckets.”

DCF officials said vulnerable adults like the pair in Ormond Beach often suffer alone and in silence because the cases are rarely reported.

Whitehead said looking back that the pair was not in a position to maintain a healthy living environment.

“She can’t take care of herself; he can’t take care of himself,” she said.

Whitehead was glad she got involved and said she hopes other residents will do the same if they see a problem in their neighborhood.

“I think getting her proper care is my business,” Whitehead said. “I think it’s everybody’s business. It should be addressed and taken care of.”

Cox Media Group