8 Children Removed From Spotsylvania Home in Neglect Case

A naked 2-year-old toddler roaming a WaWa parking lot off Courthouse Road led Spotsylvania deputies Sunday to a home that they said reeked of rotted trash and animal feces while two adults and seven additional children still occupied it.

Spotsylvania County Sheriff's Office Capt. Mike Harvey said that a WaWa employee at the 10704 Courthouse Rd. location saw the naked 2-year-old in the parking lot, brought him inside to clothe him, and then called sheriff's deputies. Deputy Elizabeth Scott responded and the toddler showed her where he lives. Harvey said the deputy had to knock several minutes before someone answered the door.

"Deputy Scott entered the residence and immediately noticed a strong odor of rotten food and animal waste," Harvey said. "Rotten food was found in and around the kitchen and animal waste was found in many areas of the residence."

Crystal Dawn Craig, 29 and Amy Elizabeth Lam, 38, were the only adults in the house, Harvey said. In addition to the toddler, there were seven other children in the house, ranging in age from 7 months to 16 years old.

Harvey said Detective Twyla DeMoranville, who focuses on crimes against children, and a social worker returned to the house and all eight children were taken into protective custody. The children have since been turned over to their grandmothers. Harvey said three of the children belonged to Craig and five belonged to Lam. 

Animal Control officers seized seven dogs, including three puppies, and two kittens, and they charged Lam with failure to maintain her premises in a sanitary condition and duties of an owner to provide food and water.

Lam was also charged with five counts of felony child neglect. Craig was charged with three counts of felony child neglect.

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