A North Carolina couple is behind bars on felony child abuse charges after authorities reportedly found a baby inside their home wearing a maggot-filled diaper, and six other children in their care living in squalor.

The Dispatch reports that Cpt. Michael Hunt with the Lexington Police Department said that officers arrived to a home at 410 Irma Ave. in Lexington, on Friday morning after someone requested a welfare check. According to Huff, officers spoke with two adults in the home and asked the couple if they could see their children.

The officers entered the home of Jamie Leigh Hiatt, 25, and Michael Patrick McKnight, 26, where they found seven young children malnourished and filthy. The children’s ages ranged from 18 months to six years. According to Hunt, the home was “nasty” and in inhabitable conditions.

“As soon as the officers walked in, they reported an overwhelming smell of feces and urine. The overall condition of the home was nasty; the living conditions were extremely poor. The malnutrition had been taking place for quite some time. From the condition of the children, it was apparent this was an unclean environment.”

The officers immediately contacted Davidson County EMS and Davison County Social Service to pick up the children. All seven kids were taken to the Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, where medical staff found maggots in the diaper of one of the younger children.

Another child, a 1-year-old, was treated for malnutrition. Two of the children, twins, were taken to the Brenner’s Children Hospital in Winston for medical treatment, according to WGN9. All children will be placed in foster care after treatment. Police stated that four of the children belonged to Hiatt, while the other children belonged to McKnight.

Authorites arrested Hiatt and McKnight and charged them with numerous counts of child abuse. Both remain behind bars on a $100,000 bond.

Check back with CrimeOnline as additional details become available.

[Feature Photo: Lexington Police Department]