Two 'Visibly Dirty' Children Clad In Urine-Soaked Diapers Found On Roadside; Man Arrested

A 30-year-old man is facing child neglect charges after two children were found alone on a roadside in Tennessee in May. Darryl Lee Winstead of Maryville was arrested earlier this week and charged with nine separate crimes.

Though he wasn't immediately arrested in connection with the child neglect incident that happened on May 5, officers took him to custody two weeks later on May 21 for a separate incident, reported WATE. He was then arrested on July 19 following incidents in May.

The Blount County Sheriff said officers found two children unattended along Sam Houston Road on May 5.

A 2-year-old boy and 18-month-old girl were found "visibly dirty" and wore diapers "saturated in urine." While one child was unclothed, the other one wore a dirty long-sleeved shirt. The children weren't wearing shoes or socks either. A child was covered in bug bites, and a scar on his foot from a recent surgery appeared to be red and inflamed.

The deputies carried the two children to their home, which was just 1,000 feet off the road, where they found Winstead. He told officers that he didn't know the children were outside. On asked how he could have missed it, he told the deputies that he was "busy packing".

Winstead added that the children might have left the house via the back door as the front door was locked and "wedged" shut with a butter knife.

However, officers noted that Winstead had creases in his clothes which seemed like he was sleeping. He also bore track marks that appeared "consistent with intravenous illicit drug use."

Officers who searched the home found the power was out. The house had a rancid smell, was in a deplorable state, with holes in the living room walls. Rotten food and black mold covered the house. The surfaces were dirty, and dirty dishes were piled on the sink. The front porch was in disrepair, reported The Daily Times.

Police officials said they didn't find any drugs or drug paraphernalia in the main living area. But, they did not check other rooms.

The Department of Children’s Services (DCS) was then alerted. As the DCS agents arrived, the children’s mother too came home. She told the police that she was at work. However, the woman and Winstead admitted to using illicit drugs, including morphine, methamphetamine, heroin and marijuana.

The children were removed from their care and handed over to two other guardians, members of the Winstead family. Winstead wasn't arrested then. The reports did not mention Winstead's relation with the children.

On May 21, officers responded to a burglary call on Johnston road and found Winstead in a detached garage. He was seen in a highly agitated state and unable to stand still. Officers took him into custody for public intoxication. They also found 5 grams of meth in his backpack.

Now he is charged with two counts of violation of probation and failure to appear, one count of public intoxication, burglary of a building, possession of Schedule II drugs and nonviolent child abuse and neglect.