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A Carroll County couple is behind bars, facing first-degree child cruelty charges after deputies say they found their three young children living alone in a tent at a local park.
According to court records, deputies discovered the children — ages 2, 4, and 5 — at a campsite inside Little Tallapoosa Park, a 330-acre park where the family had been living after reportedly losing their home.
Deputies said the children were covered in dirt and unsupervised when they arrived. The 2-year-old boy, who has Down syndrome, was in especially poor condition and unable to support his body, hold up his head, walk, or talk.
As an ambulance arrived to take the child to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, deputies said the parents, Jason and Kira Askea, returned to the campsite. They were arrested and are now being held without bond in the Carroll County Jail.
According to arrest warrants, the 2-year-old suffered brain damage due to medical neglect. Deputies also reported that the child’s seizures had gone untreated and that all three children showed signs of dental neglect. The children are now in DFCS custody.
Allen Babcock, executive director of the West Georgia Advocacy Center, which assists in child abuse investigations, said the case highlights how vital it is for people to speak up when they see potential abuse or neglect.
“We do about 400 to 450 forensic interviews a year,” Babcock said. “And not all of those are part of law enforcement investigations. Some of them are for DFCS.”
The West Georgia Advocacy Center provides forensic interviews, medical evaluations, and evidence collection to support child abuse cases.
“We have medical providers on hand that do evidence collection,” Babcock said.
Court documents show the investigation began when another camper at the park noticed the children alone. Two of the children told the bystander they had not eaten in two days and appeared to be covered in feces.
“We can’t do everything. One person can’t do everything, but we can do something to interrupt the cycles of violence,” Babcock said. “Anyone who has a suspicion should report to 1-855-GA-CHILD, which is the central intake. From that point, law enforcement or DFCS will bring the child here.”
Officials say the couple remains in custody as the investigation continues.
