Sarcoxie woman charged with endangerment, child removed from home filled with animal feces, rotted meat, flies

A May 10 arraignment is scheduled in Jasper County Circuit Court for a Sarcoxie woman charged with misdemeanor endangering the welfare of a child after Jasper County Sheriff's Office investigators found a five-year-old girl to be living in a home that even her mother thought was "disgusting."

The Sheriff's Office was alerted to the possibility of problems by Wildwood Elementary Principal Dusty Feather, who asked a deputy to accompany him on a visit to the home of one of his kindergarten students.

April Ball, 38, had left a message with the school, saying she was going to home school her daughter.

In the probable cause affidavit, Cpl. Matt Terry described what he and Feather discovered:

I found the home to be in unlivable conditions by having animal feces all over the house, rotted meat in the refrigerator, the home smelled of animal urine, dirty dishes in the sink, the home had trash and clothes everywhere and there were flies all over the house.

When I spoke with Ms. Ball and advised her of her Miranda rights, she told me she thought the home was "disgusting" and agreed it was unlivable conditions for her child.

Ms. Ball also told me she had been unable to clean the home due to an injury she has in her shoulder and that she has been out of town for a week.

Terry concluded, "Based on my observations of the living conditions of the home and supporting evidence, the home created a substantial risk to the child's life, body, and her health."

Division of Family Services removed the child from the home, according to the affidavit.