Toddler found wandering alone in Flagler County, deputies find ‘deplorable conditions’ at home

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    FLAGLER COUNTY, Florida (WESH) — A man in Palm Coast was arrested for child neglect by the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office on Friday after deputies say a toddler was found unattended, which led to a discovery of the child’s living conditions.

“Five children, three under the age of 10, living in deplorable conditions with an adult who obviously doesn’t care about these children,” said Sheriff Rick Staly.

The 2-year-old entered a woman’s car when she was delivering groceries Friday evening. The toddler then left and wandered back to an open garage. Concerned, the woman contacted the FCSO Communications Center.

Deputies responded to the home where Nicholas Carter, 39, lived with five children ages 2 through 16, the children’s mother, and a roommate. Deputies asked to check the home which Carter consented to.

When deputies entered the home, they said they smelled a strong odor of feces, urine, mold and mildew. Large clumps of fecal matter were scattered throughout the home and laundry room, along with discarded garbage and food, deputies said.

The kitchen had dirty dishes, cockroaches, flies, rotting food waste, and knives left out with easy access for the children. Carter told deputies the children slept in the master bedroom, where deputies said they found more trash and urine on the floor.

The garage, where Carter said the toddler “liked to hang out,” had power tools, exposed wires, sharp objects, a BB gun, and a smoking pipe for marijuana, all of which were accessible to the toddler, deputies said.

Carter described the living conditions at home as “a little dirty.” Deputies said he could not provide a reasonable explanation for the fecal matter throughout the house and multiple sharp objects within the children’s reach.

When deputies interviewed the roommate, he said the living conditions were “frowned upon” and that Carter was the primary caregiver as the mother was not frequently home.

Deputies arrested Nicholas Carter, 39, for child neglect without great bodily harm for “failing to provide proper care, supervision, and services necessary to maintain the children’s health and safety.” Carter was not cooperative during the arrest, which led to an additional charge for obstruction without violence.

This wasn’t the first time deputies have arrested Carter. FSCO deputies say they’ve responded 16 times to the home since January 2023 and previously charged Carter with child neglect in 2020.

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