3 charged after ‘very deplorable conditions’ found at Fairmont home, police say

FAIRMONT, W.Va (WDTV) - Three people from Marion County are facing charges after authorities say “very deplorable conditions” were found at a home in Fairmont.

29-year-old Kristin Walker, 37-year-old Tonya Satterfield, and 35-year-old Leonard Satterfield III, all of Fairmont, have all been charged with child neglect.

Child Protective Services went to a home on Bunner Ridge Rd. in Fairmont on Aug. 31 to remove four children, including an infant. from the home because of an ongoing investigation that noted “very deplorable conditions” at the home, according to a criminal complaint.

CPS workers provided detectives with the Marion County Sheriff’s Department photos that showed the garbage, dog feces, and clothes all over the floor, according to court documents. Additionally, used toilet paper was “stacked up in the bathroom,” and no food was reported to be in the home.

During interviews with the children at the Marion County Child Advocacy Center, authorities say they learned during the investigation that the children very seldom received baths or food.

The children would allegedly eat multiple meals at school because there was no food for them to eat at home. One of the children was also reported to be eating “Pop-Tart” crumbs from his pocket. The child further told CPS he would save some of the crumbs to eat later.

Criminal complaints also detail the following information from the children in separate interviews:

One child said they have to bathe in cold water and that Leonard “lets us starve.” The child also said they get whipped with switches, belts and hands on their buttocks and head.
Multiple children said Leonard broke a window above an infant and that glass landed on the infant.
One child was reported to have marks on their stomach, back and side from being hit with a belt and burned with cigarettes. A doctor allegedly diagnosed the child with physical abuse, neglect and malnourishment.
Another child reported punishments from Leonard included filling up the bathtub with ice and cold water and making them sit in it and standing against the wall on “tippy toes” with nails under their heels.

The criminal complaint says “at least four of the children were covered from head-to-toe with dirt,” with dirt matted between their toes, toenails, hands, neck and face.

Court documents say Walker and Tonya did not intervene and allowed the children to live in the home and receive neglect and abuse.

Walker and Tonya Satterfield have each been charged with four counts of child neglect creating risk of injury, and Leonard Satterfield III has been charged with four counts of child neglect creating risk of injury and three counts of child abuse creating risk of injury. They are all being held at North Central Regional Jail.