Mother Arrested After Police Find Children In Kansas City Cave Eating Dirt, Dry Noodles

Police stumbled upon a horrifying discovery as they searched a Kansas City cave for a stolen vehicle. Officers found a wooden crate inside of the cave with two young children inside. The children, ages four and six, were alone, barefoot and eating dirt and dry noodles from a dirty cup. The mother was later arrested after she admitted to leaving the children alone in the cave.

The Daily Mail reports that 24-year-old Brittany Mugrauer was arrested after police found her two children inside of a wooden crate in a Kansas City cave alone. The children were described by police as filthy, barefoot and without sufficient food or water. The children were found eating dirt and dry noodles from a dirty cup inside of the makeshift shelter in the cave.

Kansas City police were searching the cave for a stolen vehicle when the stumbled across the 8 x 10 foot wooden crate with the children inside. The report indicates the crate was missing one side and that two vehicle benches were all that furnished the wooden home. Two children, ages four and six, were found alone inside of the crate wearing dirty clothes and no shoes.

The Kansas City Star notes that police took the children to safety and for a medical evaluation. When they asked the children about the cave dwelling they said there was no water, place to cook food, or toys in the underground home. The six-year-old child said she was in first grade but did not attend school.

“[The children] stated that they had no toys at the cave, no other clothing, no shoes, and that there was no water or place to cook. The six year old advised that he should be in the 1st grade but that he did not go to school.”

Police report that there was another wooden crate in the cave which housed junk but no proper living quarters. The only other items noted in the wooden crate were two blankets and wiring on the floor.

Eventually the mother returned to the cave where police arrested her on two felony counts for leaving the children alone in the cave without food or water. Police claim that the mother admitted to the children living in the cave for “several days” and to leaving them unattended.

Reports do not indicate where the mother was located when police stumbled upon the children. It is also not known if the mother was living inside the cave with the children at night or had left them alone for the duration of the “several days” inside of the cave.

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