LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Louisville Metro Police arrested a 34-year-old mother Aug. 29, 2024, after it said her three children — 10, 11 and 16 — were forced to sleep outside in chairs and a tent without parental supervision.
The three children were hospitalized when police arrested her. Snider’s children were living outside for an unknown amount of time, LMPD said.
According to police records, it was when Jefferson County Public Schools administrators told LMPD about the situation when two of Snider’s children weren’t showing up to school. When the third did, administrators said the child appeared malnourished and neglected.
All school employees in Kentucky are trained to look for signs of abuse. However, for those without training, there are some important signs to watch, said the Exploited Children’s Help Organization (ECHO) in Louisville.
“Physical injuries, unexpected bruises or other injuries; hygiene, poor hygiene, unsuitable clothing," said Ariel Powell, director of programs and community outreach for ECHO. "You can tell they may not have taken a bath; mental health, depression, anxiety of certain sorts."
ECHO recommended people stay alert, and if they suspect something is wrong with a child they know, report it to child protective services or 911 if it’s an emergency. The organization offers trainings to students and groups on how to spot and report child abuse.
More than 12,000 children in the commonwealth were victims of child maltreatment in 2022, according to the Children’s Bureau of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
To report a case of child abuse or neglect, call 877-597-2331.