A man and woman were arrested on Wednesday after police responded to a welfare concern, discovering a young female child living in deplorable conditions in a van, using a bucket as a toilet.
According to reports, officers responded to a welfare concern in the 2800 block of Bonham Street around 7:28 p.m. on Jan. 30, after a local family had decided to try assist a couple who were reportedly living in a van in the Home Depot Parking lot.
The van was in inoperable condition and the local family providing assistance were having the vehicle moved to their residence so it could be repaired.
“When a local wrecker service went to transport the vehicle from the Home Depot, it was discovered that the couple had a young female child living in the van with them. Once the van was moved to the residence, the assisting family began trying to find out information on the individuals they were helping,” police said.
The family refused to provide information nor would they give their names or other information and the male would not allow the female or the child to speak freely to the assisting family.
Officers attempted to speak with the male subject in the van, who had no identification but gave the name of Ray Maccabee.
“The female in the vehicle did not speak at length to the officer, deferring to the male. ‘Ray’ gave the name of the female as ‘Ruth Maccabee’. He refused to allow the officer to contact or speak with the child. Child Protective Services was notified and came to the scene. “Ray” refused to allow them to check the child’s welfare as well.”
The officer on scene was able to find a registration on the vehicle as Ramon Alvarez and located a DL appearing to be “Ray” out of New Mexico identifying him as Raymon J Alvarez.
On January 31, Detectives of the Paris Police Department returned to the residence in the 2800 block of Bonham St and made contact with both the male and adult female subjects.
The female identified herself as Ruth Maccabee but later gave the name of Felisha Lynn Scroggins.
Officers were able to speak with the child, who stated she did not know her last name or her age.
The child did not know her place of birth or other pertinent information.
It was found that Scroggins, Alvarez, and the child were using a bucket in the van as a toilet and living in deplorable conditions.
Child Protective Services were notified again and after continued evasive behavior and failure to cooperate with the investigation, both Scroggins and Alvarez were taken into custody for Failure to Identify as Witness and Endangering a child, due to the conditions the child was being forced to exist in.
It is still unknown if the child is related to either Alvarez or Scroggins as, the child was also unusually uncooperative to the investigation.
The case remains open and the investigation will continue.
