Robbery Investigation Leads To Children Being Removed From Dirty Home

A robbery investigation led the arrest of five Falls Township residents and the removal of four children who were reportedly living in “deplorable” conditions.

The four young children were living inside a mobile home in the 7000 block of Hollis Drive in Falls’ Morrisville section. The home, according to court papers, was found earlier this month to be “extremely dirty, unsafe and substandard.”

“The three children were taken into protective custody and turned over to Children and Youth as was a fourth child who lives in the home but was at school at the time,” Lt. Hank Ward said.

Officer James Szamboti wrote in court papers that law enforcement officials entered the home as part of a search warrant execution after a robbery that allegedly took place the morning of February 8 at the property.

Deandre Brown, 27 and Timothy Leach, 27, both of Falls, were arraigned earlier this month on charges of robbery, conspiracy, receiving stolen property, theft, endangering the welfare of children and related offenses. Police said Lashe Adams, 19; Kanya Wilkes, 38; and Shakyra Wilkes, 23 are expected to be charged with endangering the welfare of children.

Police said the robbery happened after an argument. The man who was robbed walked to the Wawa at Bristol Pike and Penn Valley Road and returned to Hollis Drive where the alleged crime happened.

Once back at the home, multiple people began yelling at him and he was assaulted. During the robbery, he was stripped to his underwear and his wallet and cell phone was taken by Brown and Leach, police said.

One of the suspects allegedly threatened to kill the man if he told police about the robbery, police said.

A Hollis Drive neighbor told police they saw the man outside in his underwear and with blood on his mouth. She said he later walked to Wawa as she retrieved his shoes.

Police said they found the wallet and cell phone from the man who was robbed tucked in the couch at the mobile home.

While being transported by police, Brown stated the robbery was just part of his duty to “handle it.”

The man who was robbed suffered a chipped tooth, a cut on his lip and damage to his jaw brace, police said.

Brown and Leach remain in county lockup as of Thursday unable to post bail.

Editor’s Note: All individuals arrested or charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty. The story was compiled using information from police and public court documents.