Newborn baby rescued from Florida house of horrors where male resident had nightmarish facial tattoo

A newborn baby was rescued from what police described as a 'house of horrors' in a remote Florida neighborhood, leading to the arrests of four family members. 

Jodie Danielle Cannon, 26, was arrested and charged with neglect last month after authorities rescued her severely neglected and malnourished six-week-old baby from a house in Florahome, about 60 miles south of Jacksonville.

The infant had lost around 1.3 pounds since birth and was suffering from a severe rash.

A search warrant later revealed a disturbing scene inside the home, with children allegedly sleeping on flea-infested mattresses atop feces-covered floors amid spreading mold, rotting floorboards and cockroaches. 

The discovery prompted authorities to remove three additional children from the home, along with four dogs and three kittens. 

A week after Cannon's arrest, the Putnam County Sheriff's Office announced the arrests of three more family members who lived inside the home, which authorities described as having 'deplorable living conditions.'

'Words cannot describe the house of horrors these children were living in. Animal feces and urine everywhere, black mold, flies - small children trying to navigate hazardous flooring conditions,' Sheriff Gator DeLoach said.

'And the sad part is they have grown around all of this, not knowing they were dealt the absolute worst conditions I can imagine living in a first-world country,' he added.

Those arrested included Cannon's mother, Melissa Royann Keal, 50, her stepfather, John Richard Keal, 52, and the father of her children, heavily-tattooed Jordan Tyler Wilson, 30.

All three were charged with child neglect with great bodily harm, while John and Melissa Keal were each given a $3,000 bond - including $500 tied to separate misdemeanor failure-to-appear charges. 

Wilson, whose chilling mugshot showed a bizarre tattoo inked across his face, was given a $2,500 bond. Meanwhile, Cannon faced the highest bond of the group at $35,000.  

'I applaud those who have stepped up to show these young children what a safe home, family and love should look like,' the sheriff said. 'The children and the foster parents caring for them have a long road ahead of them.'

The haunting 'house of horrors' case began on July 7, when detectives with the Putnam County Sheriff's Office (PCSO) were contacted by a caseworker from the Department of Children and Families (DCF). 

The agency requested the infant’s removal from the Nettles Road home for a medical evaluation after discovering severe diaper rash and signs of unhealthy weight loss, according to a copy of Cannon's arrest report obtained by People.

In previous communications with DCF, the agency had asked Cannon to take the newborn to a doctor - a request she allegedly refused. 

Detectives arrived at the residence and, amid allegations of neglect, requested that Cannon not accompany them as they transported the six-week-old infant to the hospital.

During that same visit, two additional children were removed from the home and placed into the state's care due to the newborn's physical condition and the visible state of the residence.

The oldest child was the only one who remained in the home, as Melissa Keal had legal custody after adopting the child. 

'During the initial call for service with Cannon, detectives did not have enough evidence of neglectful conditions to remove Melissa Keal’s adopted child at the time,' the sheriff's office said.

'The search warrant was to document the environmental concerns and living conditions inside the residence,' it added. 

Meanwhile, once at the hospital, doctors determined that the newborn's vital signs were so weak that death was highly likely had the police department and DCF not intervened. 

The baby had a low heart rate, low temperature and dangerously low weight, with medical reports noting that the infant had fallen below the fifth percentile, according to WCJB News. 

An arrest warrant was then issued for Cannon, who was booked into the Putnam County Jail. After being released from the pediatric intensive care unit, the newborn was placed into DCF care.

A second search warrant was later granted on July 28, allowing police to comb through the home and ultimately leading to the arrests of the three other family members.

During the raid, which included the SWAT team, authorities uncovered unsafe ceiling repairs, mold, rotting floors, animal feces and insect infestations, finally leading to the removal of the fourth child. 

In the living room entryway, police discovered a mattress surrounded by swarming flies, with detectives told it was where the oldest child had slept. 

Authorities noted 'patches on the ceiling that had visible signs of black mold and were painted over with white paint,' along with 'rotted floors in several rooms, including a bathroom' from busted water pipes, according to a press release.

Allison Waters-Merritt, the sheriff’s office’s public information officer, said the home was plagued by fly infestations in the kitchen, laundry room, living room and hallway, according to the Palatka Daily News. 

The report also revealed that uneaten food was left rotting on dishes in one of the bedrooms, where it was crawling with flies and cockroaches. 

'The only useable bathroom was in disrepair,' Waters-Merritt said. 'The tub had a rust look as if it hasn’t been used in some time.'

A separate arrest report for Cannon's boyfriend, Jordan Wilson, obtained by People, revealed that as authorities prepared to enter the home, a 'strong odor of animal urine' was emanating from inside the residence. 

Once inside, authorities also encountered a 'strong, unhealthy odor' coming from the refrigerator that was so overpowering it nearly caused a SWAT team member to vomit, according to the documents. 

Waters-Merritt also revealed that the refrigerator contained barely enough food to feed the eight people living inside the home.

The sheriff's office said the three adults were charged because they were 'adult household members who failed to provide the child with care, supervision and services necessary to maintain the child’s physical and mental health.'

Sheriff DeLoach said the newborn rescued from the home is now 'thriving, happy and gaining weight' after the infant's condition sparked the investigation. 

The agency worked with the 7th Judicial Circuit of the State Attorney’s Office to determine what charges should be filed. 

Seven animals were also removed from the home, but because they were voluntarily surrendered, the suspects will not face additional charges. 

'These animals will be evaluated and placed for adoption with healthy homes,' the sheriff's office wrote in a statement. 

'Due to the voluntary surrender, detectives are not pursuing animal neglect charges,' they added. 'If they had chosen to not surrender, the animals would be evidence and unadoptable until their rights as owners were forfeited.'

However, authorities warned that additional charges could be brought against Cannon, the Keals and Wilson as the sheriff’s office continues to investigate the case. 

Sheriff DeLoach revealed that the newborn initially rescued from the home is now 'thriving, happy and gaining weight.'

Wilson is the biological father of the three children removed from the home. 

The oldest child, who was also fathered by Wilson, had previously been adopted by Keal after he lost custody following a prior DCF investigation, according to the arrest report. 

All four defendants have appeared before a judge for the first time, with the court setting their bonds and ordering that they have no contact with any of the children if released.