Naked toddlers lead to filthy home, deputies say

A man and woman from Tampa are behind bars, charged with child neglect. Hillsborough Sheriff's deputies arrested 22-year-old Xiomara Diaz and 23-year-old Rafael Ortiz Tuesday.

Deputies say they found two naked toddlers riding their big wheel a block from their home on Sugarcreek Drive Tuesday morning. A neighbor called the Sheriff's Office to report it.

Investigators say the boys, ages 3 and 2, were roaming the street all by themselves.

"The deputies responded. When they got there, they discovered the children. They were pretty far from the residence, according to the deputy. They were, in fact, riding and outside playing with nothing on," said Debbie Carter, spokeswoman for the Sheriff's Office.

Deputies say two adults inside the children's home on Sugarcreek Drive were passed out cold

"They kept knocking and trying to get somebody to come out. Finally, the 3 year old went inside and woke up the adults, who were sleeping," Carter told FOX 13.

The situation grew even more serious inside the home, according to the Sheriff's Office.

Investigators say inside they found absolute filth, including animal feces, and more signs of neglect.

"They said it was extremely dirty inside and no food in the house. There were no beds for the children," said Carter.

Three children, ages 5, 3, and 2, live in the house. Child protection investigators removed them all from the home. Carter says Ortiz and Diaz made excuses that deputies do not buy.

"They made a statement to one of the deputies that the two small ones mess up things because they're young and they're into things," she said.

Many neighbors say they frequently worried about the children.

"I'd see two or three kids walking around with no clothes on. That disheartens me. I do have a daughter and I don't want my daughter growing up seeing that," said Mychal Stanford, who often visits his mother in the neighborhood. He says the children were many times unclothed and dirty.

"That's not good for other kids to see, including mine. That's not good for them to grow up thinking that's okay," Standford said.

Neighbors say Diaz, Ortiz, and the children moved in earlier this year. One neighbor told us she was so concerned that she was about to speak to Diaz about the children. Some neighbors, however, say they never noticed anything wrong.

Diaz and Ortiz are also charged with two counts of confinement of animals without food and water. Animal services removed two dogs from the house.

Tuesday evening, Diaz and Ortiz were in the Hillsborough County Jail.