Couple Jailed After Troopers Discover Four Children Living in Filthy Conditions

A 10-year-old West Virginia boy was home alone for nearly six hours when a state trooper arrived for a welfare check. What the trooper reported finding inside raised concerns far beyond the child being left by himself.

Old food covered in bugs, dirty diapers, and stained mattresses without sheets were among the conditions described inside the Barbour County home. Police also reported finding drug-related items in places children could reach.

The boy told the trooper that his parents had taken his three younger siblings out earlier that afternoon. They had not made him dinner, but he found a Lunchable in the refrigerator and ate it while they were gone.

His parents, James Allen Dillow, 33, and Acacia Nicole Dillow, 29, now face four felony child-neglect charges each. The children living in the home ranged in age from 3 to 10, according to WDTV.

Left Behind

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The welfare check happened on October 1, when a West Virginia State Police trooper reached the family’s home at about 10:30 p.m. Someone had raised concerns that the oldest child might be there without an adult.

When the trooper spoke with the boy, he explained that his parents had left sometime between 4:15 and 4:45 p.m. They had taken his siblings, ages 6, 5, and 3, with them.

By the time police arrived, the boy had been on his own for nearly six hours. The criminal complaint does not establish exactly when his parents returned.

Although the Lunchable drew attention in online discussions, the food was only one part of the complaint. The condition of the home soon became a much larger concern.

Inside the Home

As the trooper checked the residence, a foul smell was among the first things noted. Old food had been left out long enough to attract flies and other bugs, while dirty diapers were also found inside.

The sleeping areas raised more concerns. Children’s mattresses were stained and had no sheets or other linens, according to the complaint.

Police also reported seeing a glass smoking device and a grinder containing marijuana. Both were in areas the children could access, adding to the concerns about their living environment.

The trooper later obtained a search warrant, and Barbour County sheriff’s deputies joined the search. They reported finding several more glass smoking devices, a grinder with marijuana residue, and six containers holding a substance they believed was THC wax.

Parents Behind Bars

A Child Protective Services worker came to the home during the investigation. After the worker arrived, the 10-year-old was placed with another family member rather than remaining at the residence.

The allegations drew strong reactions on Facebook, where Crime Talk shared the case. Several commenters argued that the unsanitary home and accessible drug-related items were more troubling than the boy’s age or the length of time he spent alone.

James and Acacia Dillow each face four counts of child neglect creating a risk of death or serious bodily injury. The charges concern the alleged risks to all four children, not simply the welfare check involving their oldest son.

Both parents were reported held at Tygart Valley Regional Jail, with bond set at $75,000 each. The charges remain allegations, and neither parent has been convicted in this case.