A Florida mother is facing multiple felony child neglect charges after her 8-year-old autistic daughter was found wandering naked and barefoot through a neighborhood, prompting deputies to investigate the family’s home, where they say three children were living in unsafe and unsanitary conditions.
Carla E. Nishikura, 41, was arrested Thursday and charged with three counts of felony child neglect, according to court records.
The investigation began after the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office received a report requesting a welfare check for an 8-year-old child who had been seen walking outside naked in a Palm Coast neighborhood.
Before deputies arrived, a neighbor located the child and returned her to the family’s home on Wood Amber Lane. Officers then went to the residence to ensure the girl’s safety.
According to investigators, the child, identified in court documents only as E.N., is autistic and nonverbal.
Nishikura told deputies that her daughter had a history of wandering away from home. She said the child left through the garage while she was asleep after she forgot to secure the interior door handles with zip ties, which she normally used to prevent the girl from leaving the house.
After receiving permission to enter the home, deputies reported being immediately overwhelmed by what they described as a strong odor consistent with human waste.
According to the probable cause affidavit, investigators found fecal matter covering portions of the floors, walls, and ceiling in the kitchen and living room. The 8-year-old was back inside the residence, still naked and barefoot, while her two siblings were also present.
Deputies said the girl’s bedroom contained only a bed frame without a mattress. The floor was reportedly covered with feces, urine, and cracked eggs, making the room unfit for use.
Nishikura reportedly told investigators that her daughter had been sleeping on the living room couch because the bedroom had become contaminated.
While documenting the conditions inside the home, one deputy reported seeing the child using a tool to scrape fecal matter from a wall and handling it with her hands.
Investigators also discovered several damaged electrical outlet covers that left exposed wiring accessible to the children, creating additional safety hazards.
According to the affidavit, Nishikura identified a case manager who had been assisting the family. The case manager told deputies she had arranged for a professional cleaning company to clean the home, but the company refused because the residence was considered a biohazard.
The case manager also said she had visited the home the day before the incident and had already filed a report with the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) because of concerns about the living conditions.
One of the other children reportedly told deputies that the family had been instructed not to enter the girl’s bedroom because of the contamination. The child also said the fecal matter had been present for about one month and had become “hard as a rock.”
According to investigators, Nishikura admitted she was aware of the home’s condition but said she was unable to manage the household and care for her children on her own.
Following the investigation, the Department of Children and Families accepted the abuse report and immediately assigned an investigator to the case.
Authorities arrested Nishikura on allegations that she failed to provide her children with a clean and safe home, neglected to provide necessary care, and exposed them to dangerous biohazard conditions.
She was booked into the Flagler County Jail without incident. Court records show her bond was set at $7,500, and she is scheduled to appear in court for her arraignment on Aug. 18.
