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Tampa Kids' Living Conditions Lead To Parents' Arrest

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 16, 2007

TAMPA - Three young Tampa children lived in an apartment with deplorable conditions that included filthy furniture, an empty refrigerator and rotten food on the kitchen counter and in the sink, Hillsborough County deputies say.

Their parents were arrested Wednesday on felony child neglect charges.

Derek Thomas Mills, 28, and Ejoma Bernice Blakley, 24, were arrested at their home at 2004 Colonial Parc Drive.

Deputies entered the apartment Wednesday to investigate reports of child neglect and found "the apartment lacked the necessary provisions to maintain the victims' physical and mental health," an arrest affidavit states.

Deputies also found small amounts of marijuana on the dining room table, the affidavit states. A deputy asked Mills whether there were other drugs in the apartment, and Mills gave them two bags of marijuana, the report says.

The children, ages 2, 3 and 5, were turned over to family, sheriff's office spokeswoman Debbie Carter said.

Blakley was released from jail Thursday on $2,000 bail.

Mills, who also faces a count of misdemeanor possession of less than 20 grams of marijuana, was in Orient Road Jail on Thursday with bail set at $2,500.

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