OWENSVILLE —William and Megan Durbin of Owensville were charged with three counts of the class D felony of first degree endangering the welfare of a child creating substantial risk, first offense, following a Department of Family Services hotline report last Wednesday.

Gasconade County Sheriff’s Office (GCSO) reports the exterior of the Hecker Road residence as covered in trash, broken furniture and rotting debris with a strong foul odor and deplorable conditions inside. The officer stated he observed hundreds, possibly thousands, of cockroaches crawling on the floors, walls, ceilings, furniture and food surfaces, coming out of electrical outlets, clothing piles, cabinets and a microwave, and also crawling up his boots and pant legs while he was inside the house. He also reported the home as filled with filth, rotting food, black mold on the walls and ceilings, sections of the floor missing or rotted and an overwhelming smell of decay.

According to the probable cause statement, three children were the subject of the report — one 9-year old, one 19-month old and a 3-year-old who was reported as sleeping on a filthy, roach-infested couch.

GCSO requested warrants due to the alleged unsafe, unsanitary living conditions they felt to be unfit for human habitation. Investogators noted there was no effort being made by the pair to correct the issues and a belief that if allowed to remain free, both parents would take the children back to the same unsafe environment.

Warrants for the pair were issued and served Thursday with each party’s bond set for $10,000 cash or surety. William Durbin was being held in Franklin County Detention Center as of Monday. Megan Durbin posted bond Oct. 9.