COUPLE ARRESTED AFTER FINDING CHILDREN living in DEPLORABLE CONDITIONS

COUPLE ARRESTED AFTER FINDING CHILDREN living in DEPLORABLE CONDITIONS

NITRO, WV – The Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office has arrested Seth Daniel Lockhart, 28, and Aryanna Marie Evans, 26, after deputies discovered three young children living in unsafe and unsanitary conditions inside a Nitro residence.

On July 31, 2026, deputies responded to a residence on Red Oak Drive in Nitro following a report of a male who had suffered a cut to his forearm.

While inside the residence, deputies observed extremely unsanitary living conditions throughout the home. The floors were covered with mud, trash, and debris, while insects were seen crawling throughout the residence. Deputies also found dog feces smeared into the floor, broken glass in multiple areas, and no running water inside the home.

Two small children were found asleep in a bedroom where deputies observed dog food, cockroaches, and two dogs underneath the bed. A third child was found walking barefoot through the residence and appeared to be extremely dirty, indicating the child had not been properly bathed for an extended period. Deputies also noted that both the front and rear doors of the residence were unsecured.

Deputies discovered drug paraphernalia inside the home. In addition, multiple firearms and ammunition were found lying on the floor throughout the residence, where they were readily accessible to the children.

Based on the conditions inside the home and the dangers posed to the children, Lockhart and Evans were each charged with Child Neglect Creating Risk of Injury, a felony offense.

The three children were removed from the residence and placed into the custody of Child Protective Services.

Anyone charged with a crime is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.