Newly reported investigative details are putting even more focus on the conditions inside the Follansbee, West Virginia, home where a 1-month-old baby was found unresponsive and later died. According to the criminal complaint, deputies who searched the residence reportedly discovered approximately 80–100 soiled diapers and around 20 baby bottles containing rotten milk. Investigators also described mold-covered food, garbage and animal feces throughout parts of the home.

Authorities said the circumstances surrounding the infant’s death raised questions after the parents reportedly told investigators that the mother had fallen asleep while breastfeeding and later found the baby unresponsive. Deputies who observed the infant reportedly noted a bruise near the base of the skull, a small amount of blood on the cheek and a full diaper. Officials said the cause and circumstances required further investigation.

Caleb Shane Decapio, 21, and Hope Lynn Taylor, 20, were each charged with 28 counts of gross neglect of a child creating a substantial risk of death or serious bodily injury. Authorities said the 28 counts were based on each day the baby allegedly lived in the reported conditions. The charges remain allegations unless proven in court.

The investigation then expanded further. Days after the child-neglect charges were announced, both defendants were also charged with two counts each involving the alleged torture or killing of animals. According to a separate criminal complaint, a humane officer reported finding one of the dogs confined inside a plastic tote within a wire crate in the basement.

These newly reported details do not establish that the parents caused the infant’s death in a particular manner. What they do show is why investigators described the case as requiring additional scrutiny: the reported condition of the home, the physical observations made at the scene and the subsequent animal-cruelty allegations all became part of a broader criminal investigation.