Woman Found Guilty of Endangering Child in Poorly Maintained Home

A woman in Queens has been found guilty of endangering her three children after she was found living in squalor. According to the local prosecutor’s office, Katherine Vartholomeou was living with her children in a house that was missing some exterior walls and part of the roof. The home also had no running water and was being powered by extension cords from a neighboring home.

The case began after police found her eight-year-old son and her two- and three-year old grandchildren hiding among some of the refuse in the home. They had been investigating Vartholomeou’s son on burglary charges when they entered the decrepit home with a warrant.

The home had been badly damaged in a fire, and police feared that another fire could occur when they found the extension cords, garbage and lights set up in the way that they were. There were also buckets of excrement located throughout the home, as well as insects and other vermin.

Vartholomeou now faces up to a year in jail after being found guilty on three counts of child endangerment. The three children are now in custody of other relatives.

Even after Vartholomeou gets out of jail, it is unlikely that she will regain child custody, having proven herself unfit to be a guardian of these children. Her relatives will likely work with the court system to find a new arrangement that is in the best interest of the children.

If you believe that your children or grandchildren are living in dangerous conditions, speak with a Queens child custody attorney at Bryan L. Salamone & Associates to take quick legal action.