ADDIS — The West Baton Rouge District Attorney’s Office is now bringing charges against a couple following multiple reports of child neglect, citing slow intervention by the Department of Children and Family Services as a contributing factor.
On Feb. 28, Addis Police officers conducted a welfare check at a home on Myrle Street, where a mother of seven was reportedly in an “erratic” state, and the living conditions were deemed “unfit.” The woman, identified as Samantha Gordon, was taken to a hospital, and about a week later, both she and the children’s father, Daniel Hopkins, were arrested for child cruelty.
This was not the first time officials had responded to the home due to concerns about the children’s welfare. Authorities had previously received multiple reports regarding unsafe conditions at the residence, prompting police visits and DCFS involvement, but no long-term action had been taken until now.
UWK has uncovered police records dating back to August 2023.
February 28 arrest
According to arrest records, all seven children in the home are under the age of 13. When officers arrived on Feb. 28, Samantha Gordon met them outside, reportedly acting erratically and claiming the “Illuminati” were trying to attack her. She admitted to using opioids within the past 24 hours.
Officers held her newborn baby as they attempted to get her into an ambulance, but she allegedly became combative and tried to take the infant back. Officers restrained Gordon for her safety and transported her to a medical facility in Plaquemine.
DCFS was called but initially declined to take custody of the children despite the parents’ drug history and the home’s condition. Later in the day, a DCFS worker performed a walk-through and documented severe neglect.
During that walkthrough, officers reported seeing a young girl sleeping in only a diaper, covered in flies. They reported the home reeked of feces, and the kitchen counters were covered in trash and rotting food that was covered in “roaches, maggots, and flies.”
The bathroom reportedly contained a tub filled with stagnant water and bugs, while the toilet was filled with waste.
First responders spent several hours with the children until the father, Daniel Hopkins, came home from Livingston Parish.
The children remained in the home until March 6, when officers returned to find the conditions unchanged.
During that March 6 visit to the home, police allegedly found a container with a “white, crystal-like substance” believed to be meth was found in the children’s room, along with glass smoking pipes and a torch lighter on the desk used for homeschooling. Six children were present at the time; the eldest was at school.
DCFS intervened, taking full custody of the children and later picking up the eldest from school. Due to the state of the home, officials determined that none of the children’s belongings were salvageable.
Previous police interventions
This is not the first time Addis Police has called for DCFS to the home and the family. According to the arrest documents, there were previous referrals on file dating back to 2023.
November 2023: DCFS requested police assistance for a welfare check and walk-through of the home. The caseworker determined the children needed to be removed due to “inadequate living conditions.” The children were placed with their grandmother in Amite while the parents attempted to improve their home.
December 2023: An anonymous welfare check request led officers back to the home, where young children were reportedly running around unsupervised in a trash-filled yard, some with full diapers.
Police say when they arrived at the home, some of the children were in the yard with Gordon while others were inside with the mom.
The officer noted that the home appeared to be in the process of being cleaned and besides the dirty diapers, there were no other immediate signs of neglect. DCFS was not contacted at that time.
January 2024: Addis Police were called to the home after paramedics reported that the mother, Samantha Gordon, was having difficulty breathing and allegedly admitted to using meth. A member of the Church of Addis spoke with officers about the family’s situation, explaining that the church was helping the family improve their living conditions.
According to the church member, the family was placed in a hotel while the home underwent cleaning and renovations, with the church providing over $90,000 in assistance. The children had been temporarily placed with their grandmother before being returned to their parents. The church also requested that DCFS reassess the home’s conditions.
August 2024: Officers from Addis and Brusly visited the home for a truancy follow-up after the Brusly School Board flagged fraudulent documents used for school enrollment.
While there, the officers walked through the home and deemed it unfit for living, especially for the children. A report said that the home’s floor was covered in trash from food and drinks, feces and other garbage throughout the entire house.
The report indicated that both parents understood when officers informed them that the home was unfit and that they would be opening a case with DCFS. The officer stated that he reported the information to DCFS and received an intake number.
However, days later, officers found the home abandoned and were unable to contact the family.
Criminal history
Both parents have a history of criminal charges, with Hopkins having a history of alcohol, narcotics and fraud charges.
Gordon faces seven counts of cruelty to a juvenile. Daniel Hopkins faces seven counts of cruelty to a juvenile, possession of a schedule II narcotic, possession of drug paraphernalia, and controlled dangerous substance in the presence of juveniles.
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