A 7-year-old child and his presumed caretaker were removed from a storage unit they were living in after police discovered there wasn't any food or water, and there were accessible illegal drugs in the facility.
Police said they were tipped off Thursday morning about a man living in a storage unit with an assault rifle in the 15000 block of Foothill Farms Loop.
However, when police arrived, they found a woman, identified as Carissa Chancey, 36, and the child lying on the floor with the rifle within arms reach.
Police said the room didn't have any ventilation, was approximately 90 degrees Fahrenheit inside, smelled of urine and there were multiple rats roaming around the premises. Police said they also observed various drug paraphernalia in the building like marijuana, methamphetamine, and syringes with a clear liquid inside of them.
When authorities took the 7-year-old child into their custody, he stated he had not eaten in over 24 hours and that he and Chancey had been in the facility for almost two days.
Police allege the child was dirty, had no shoes, and his clothing was torn.
He was transported to the North Austin Medical Center for an injury on his foot which police said appeared infected.
Chancey was taken into custody, for allegedly knowing and recklessly putting the child in danger of death, bodily injury or physical or mental impairment. Her bond is set at $40,000.