Florida mom accused of abandoning child for days in home full of feces, aggressive dogs

Florida mom accused of abandoning child for days, weeks

A Florida mom has been arrested under suspicion of child neglect after allegedly abandoning her child alone at home, which was dirty, covered in animal waste, and with aggressive dogs. Ashley Burdick, 31, faces a felony charge of child neglect. The Brevard County Sheriff's Office said neighbors contacted 911 after becoming concerned. The child said he couldn't open the door due to the dogs and instead talked to them through a bathroom window, according to the arrest report. The child told him that he was once left alone for two weeks and ran out of food, the report said. 

BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. - A Merritt Island woman is accused of abandoning her child in a home filled with aggressive dogs and animal waste.

Ashley Burdick, 41, is facing felony charges after neighbors alerted law enforcement to the "distressing" conditions inside the residence on Robin Drive.

What we know:

On April 10, deputies with the Brevard County Sheriff's Office responded to the home after receiving reports that a child had been left alone for approximately four days.

A deputy responded and attempted to make contact with the child. The child told deputies he could not open the front door because of "multiple aggressive dogs" inside the house. Instead, he was forced to speak to investigators through a bathroom window.

"We found a lot of distressing things," said Tod Goodyear, Public Information Officer for the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office.

The investigation revealed a pattern of neglect and abuse:

• Unsanitary Conditions: Investigators observed feces on the floor and noted the home had gone through five different couches because they were contaminated by dog waste.
• Starvation: The child told deputies during a previous incident he was left alone for two weeks, and he ran out of food and did not eat for the duration of that time.
• Physical Abuse: The child alleged that Burdick would "often strike him with a closed fist" as a form of discipline.
• Accidental Intoxication: The child reported becoming intoxicated after drinking juice from the refrigerator that—unknown to him—contained moonshine.

"At one point he had been left there I guess for up to two weeks, ran out of food, was living in conditions that weren’t healthy. There was fecal matter on the floor," Goodyear said.

How neighbors helped

The discovery of the child’s latest neglect came to light thanks to a concerned neighbor who called 911.

Residents on the quiet street expressed outrage at the allegations.

"It’s unreal. What is wrong with people today?" said one neighbor who asked not to be identified.

The Sheriff’s Office credited the community for speaking up before the situation escalated further.

"This might have gone for a lengthy period of time without someone stepping in," Goodyear said.

What's next:

Burdick is currently facing one count of child neglect without great bodily harm, a third-degree felony. During her first court appearance, a judge found probable cause for the charge, which is punishable by up to five years in prison.

The Department of Children and Families (DCF) has also opened an investigation into the case.

Burdick has been ordered to have no contact with the child as the legal process continues.

Officials confirmed that the child is now safe and staying with another family member.