Child found naked and hungry, mother arrested

OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) — A woman was arrested after her child knocked on a neighbor’s door naked and asked for food, according to police. Investigators described the conditions in the child’s home as “unimaginable.”

The call came in around 12:30 p.m. Sunday morning on Southwest 61st Street.

Oklahoma City police said the caller claimed to have found a naked child who “may appear malnourished.”

“A local individual had contacted police and reported that an unclothed young child had come to their door claiming to be hungry,” said Sergeant Dillon Quirk of the Oklahoma City Police Department.

When officers arrived in the area, they reportedly saw Yoriannis Columbie-Delgado and the child across the street.

Columbie-Delgado allegedly admitted to police that she was preparing a bath when her son climbed out the window to play with other children in the neighborhood.

The police then asked if they could look in the house “due to the nature of the operation.”

“Unimaginable conditions inside. There was garbage everywhere. Just a place that is not suitable for a child to live. They had very little food in the house,” said Quirk.

The report stated that garbage bags blocked doors and that officers found standing water in the bathroom and kitchen.

Investigators also found that there were no beds for the child in the home.

“That’s why DHS was contacted. Ultimately, the caregiver was arrested on a child neglect charge,” Quirk said.

The Oklahoma Department of Human Services was unable to provide any information on the child’s current whereabouts.

The DHS sent News 4 this statement.

Oklahoma Human Services staff work every day to protect the safety and well-being of Oklahoma’s children. While state and federal confidentiality laws prevent us from releasing details about specific child welfare cases, it is important that the public knows how they can protect their community’s children and how we work to do so.

If you have concerns about a child’s well-being, our abuse and neglect hotline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-800-522-3511. When you call, we will ask you for as much information as possible about your concerns and anything you know about the child and family. Under state law, our agency is permitted to intervene in cases of child neglect, abuse, or exploitation by the person responsible for the child’s care, such as a parent, legal guardian, foster parent, or child care provider. More than 85% of the cases we confirm each year are related to neglect. Sometimes we can assist families with services, resources, and education to keep their children safe at home. However, sometimes the safety risk is too great and the court decides there is no other option but to place the child in foster care. In such a case, we need a dedicated foster family to meet the child’s needs and keep them safe while the family receives assistance. If you are thinking about how you can support children in foster care, as well as their biological or foster families, please visit our website at OKFosters.org. It takes a community of caring people to keep children safe and thriving!

Oklahoma Department of Human Services

A neighbor said that when she walked past the house and opened the door, the smell was unbearable.

She also said that it was not the first time she had seen the child wandering around neighbors’ gardens.

Columbie-Delgado remains in jail on $50,000 bail. Her court date has not yet been set.