Case Explained: ‘Squalid’ Maple Valley home was known to law enforcement a year before 10 children rescued – Legal Perspective

MAPLE VALLEY, Wash. — More details are emerging after 10 children were rescued from a Maple Valley home last week, painting a grim picture of squalor and possible neglect.

Deputies were first called to the home along Southeast 200th Street on Feb. 12, where a 47-year-old woman was found dead. Authorities said no cause of death has been determined, and the investigation remains ongoing with no arrests announced as of this week.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE | 10 children taken into protective custody after woman found dead in multi-family home

When deputies returned to the home Feb. 13 with a warrant, they discovered numerous children living inside amid what they initially described as “very bad and pretty severe” conditions.

Four families — including the mothers of the 10 children — were living in the home, investigators said. All 10 children were taken into protective custody by Child Protective Services and transported to a hospital as a precaution after some complained of feeling sick or unwell. Officials said the children were also evaluated for possible signs of neglect.

Deputies and Child Protective Services personnel spent hours at the home during the response. Authorities said criminal charges are expected, but did not provide a timeline.

On Tuesday, officials provided more details on what investigators found during the response, stating the residence contained rotten food throughout, a strong odor consistent with raw sewage and animal waste, and potential fire hazards. Authorities said the conditions could be characterized as “squalid.”

Officials also revealed it was not previously known that nearly a dozen young children were living at the property prior to Feb. 13.

However, investigators detailed that law enforcement and county agencies had several prior contacts involving the property and the people living on it.

Over at least the past year, neighbors had made numerous complaints about suspicious activity, burning, and noises at the home. County code enforcement officials had also been involved with the property for years, authorities said.

In April 2025, deputies served a search warrant to recover a stolen vehicle parked in the driveway. Several stolen cars were ultimately recovered from the property, but the warrant only covered the exterior, and no suspects were charged in connection with those vehicles.

In May 2025, a person driving a stolen car led a Kent Police Department officer and sheriff’s deputies on a pursuit before being arrested after attempting to pull into the property. Authorities said that the case involved allegations of eluding and hit-and-run.

Another part of the ongoing investigation involves the property ownership. The home is listed as owned by the Idaho Housing and Finance Association. KOMO News reached out to the agency with questions about who was living there and whether it was aware of the reported conditions.

The Idaho Housing and Finance Association provided this statement:

Idaho Housing and Finance Association is deeply saddened by the tragic loss of life reported at the Maple Valley property. Our thoughts are with the children, their families, and the surrounding community during this incredibly difficult time. The answers to your questions are below:

Why is a home in Washington State, listed under the title of the Idaho Housing and Finance Association?

Idaho Housing and Finance services affordable home loans in partnership with a variety of organizations throughout the country. As part of the foreclosure process, ownership of the Maple Valley home reverted to Idaho Housing and Finance.

If this is because the IHFA provided a loan to prospective home-buyer in the past, and the home foreclosed — how long has the home been dormant?

Please see above.

Who were the last known inhabitants of the home?

Privacy considerations prohibit us from divulging the names of the home’s previous owner or owners.

Are you aware of any current squatters at that address?

We have been aware that people have been occupying the home. It’s premature to characterize the people living at the residence as squatters. Because we could not get access to the property we do not know what the status was/is of the people living in the home.

If so, what measures have been taken to evict those squatters? Who are now caught in pending criminal charges.

We have been actively engaged in Washington’s eviction process and we have been working with local code enforcement and law enforcement authorities to gain access to the property ever since the foreclosure process concluded.

What would you say to neighbors in the area who have said they’re terrified of the people staying at the residence, and have tried contacting the IHFA for multiple years?

We take all concerns from neighbors and communities seriously. In this case, our role as loan servicer is to focus on following the proper legal processes to evict the people living in the home. In addition to working with King County authorities, our representatives have attempted to visit the property multiple times and have been blocked from doing so.