UPDATE: Police remove 11 children from filthy home

Law enforcement officers arrest 12 in connection with a string of car break-ins

  • Published: 1/20/2010 2:22:18 PM
  • Last Updated: 1/22/2010 3:33:36 PM
Photo By: Rachel CavanaughPolice raid
Woodburn police officers Adam Stewart and Rick Puente (right) lead out Joshua Dodgion from a residence in the 1000 block of N. Front Street. Woodburn’s Tactical Services Unit led the Wednesday morning raid, which netted 12 arrests.
WOODBURN — The Woodburn Police Department’s Tactical Services Unit (TSU) raided a downtown home Wednesday, arresting 12 people for child neglect and property theft, among other charges.
 
Eleven children were taken from the home and put in protective custody by Department of Human Services (DHS) officials. WPD Public Information Officer Mike Araiza said the home was littered with trash and drug paraphernalia.
 
“There was garbage all throughout, dirty dishes as well as rotting food,” said Araiza. “There was a strong odor of ammonia, like that from animal urine as well as dirty diapers. … The smell was very unbearable.”
 
Araiza said conditions of the home presented a “very serious” threat to the children, aged 2 to 16 years old.
 
He noted things like mold growing, diapers in close proximity to food, and tools with sharp edges like drills, drill bits, knives and screwdrivers on the floor where children could be crawling.
 
“Then you’ve got the rotting food which is going to bring on mice, rats, cockroaches, things like that,” Araiza said.
 
Araiza said evidence in the house pointed to the use of methamphetamines, which could be part of why the house was in poor condition.
 
“Based on what we’ve seen in the past, oftentimes it’s because of the use of the methamphetamines … that causes them not to have concerns or worries for their children, which would rise to this level of neglect,” Araiza said.
 
All of the adults are facing charges of endangering the welfare of minors, in addition to child neglect II.
 
A bench warrant arrest was made for carrying a concealed weapon and two men were charged with parole violation for burglary I and assault II.
 
One man, Joshua Dodgion, 24, was linked to a string of recent car break-ins. He was charged on multiple theft counts.
 
Araiza said Dodgion was in fact the person who led police to the house to begin with. According to the PIO, Dodgion had been stopped by police the day before and found with items believed to be stolen.
 
However, officers couldn’t prove it and let him go. Police Capt. Doug Garrett described the stop: “On a case that one of our officers worked the other day, she stopped a subject (Dodgion) that lives at this location (1000 block of N. Front Street),” said Garrett. “He had property in his possession that was out of the norm.”
 
The officer had a pretty good idea that he did not own that property but there was no way to prove that it was stolen.
 
“She had to let that person go and then later on that same day there was a report of theft from a vehicle with the same stuff,” Garrett said.
 
That provided grounds for the search warrant. Araiza said it is believed Dodgion is responsible for a large portion of the recent thefts.
 
“We’re expecting that if we take him out of business then hopefully that will help slow things down and get the word out that we’re actively pursuing people that are breaking into vehicles,” Araiza said.
 
“I would hope it would have some sort of positive reaction on lowering thefts in automobiles,” Garrett added.
 
Dodgion was charged with three counts of unlawful entry of a motor vehicle, three counts of criminal mischief, theft II, theft III, 12 counts of child neglect II, and 12 counts of endangering the welfare of a minor.
 
Randy Thomas Jr. was charged with one count of parole violation (burglary I), 12 counts of child neglect II and 12 counts of endangering the welfare of a minor.
 
Jose Rene Ortega was charged with one count of parole violation (assault II), 12 counts of child neglect II and 12 counts of endangering the welfare of a minor.
 
Anthony Scott Pierson was charged with one bench warrant (carrying a concealed weapon), 12 counts of child neglect II and 12 counts of endangering the welfare of a minor.
 
Jonathon Zelinka, Patrick Thomas, Anthony Griffith, Jeffery Rood Jr., Staci Eberius, Jenni Thomas, Eualia Griffith and Maribel Valenciano were all charged with 12 counts of endangering the welfare of a minor and 12 counts of child neglect II.
 
WPD had two armored cars, three police motorcycles and about a half dozen police cars on site for the early morning operation. Officers from Marion County Sheriff’s Office Inter-agency S.W.A.T. team assisted.
 
The children will remain in temporary foster care until parents petition DHS to get them back and prove they have remedied the situation, Araiza said.
 
Garrett said there was a history of police contact at the residence, which sits at the intersection of Front Street and Hardcastle Avenue.
 
Araiza said neighbors told police they were pleased the house had been dealt with.

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IndependentChick21 from Woodburn
1/20/2010 11:46:53 PM

Typical illegal immigrant home.... about 25 illegals per home. This is completley normal in Woodburn.
 
Oregon97 from Wilsonville
1/21/2010 8:46:12 AM

Typical racist statement.......unfortunately all to common in Woodburn.....someone with an agenda writing to make him or herself feel better about their racist tendancies. Where is the proof of who was arrested or their immigration status?...oh yeah, you have none.
 
JH from Woodburn
1/21/2010 9:24:46 AM

Just to set the record straight, these were white people, not Hispanics, that were taken out of the house and arrested.
 
Zur1aga from Woodburn
1/21/2010 11:33:47 AM

At least we know that all the streets near the house are now safe and clean.
 
woodburn1 from Woodburn
1/21/2010 3:16:45 PM

Hmmm....by my count, the only Hispanic person involved in this case is the one in uniform, leading all those white criminals away.
 
mateoc from Woodburn
1/21/2010 4:38:22 PM

Kudos to the Woodburn PD for making our city a bit safer. What are you doing to help our community? Poor kids that were living in such a scary environment. Remember a community can only be as strong as it's weakest link. How can we all help each other to improve and become a strong community? I prefer to live where I can go out an know my fellow community members and can talk to them. I encourage any of you that like to over generalize who is who to go out and meet someone new in Woodburn. You might learn something unexpected!
 
kurokaze1 from portland
1/21/2010 9:04:04 PM

heheh i grew up with that guy..what a fool i always knew hed do something stupid like that..good job wb pd now how am i gonna get my 200 bucks back from that guy lol
 
woodburn blows from woodburn
1/21/2010 9:20:24 PM

i pass by this house every morning on my way to work..creepy white people
 
RedHam from Woodburn
1/25/2010 2:19:02 AM

Thank you for helping those poor children. Just goes to show you that hispanics arent the only ones that can act like total losers. Actually i havnt herd of a child neglect case like this involving hispanics in woodburn ever. The hispanic race respect their children a little more then that. I think we can do with out the racist comments. Thank you
 
hotmari from woodburn
2/12/2010 12:37:23 AM

kurokaze1 from p town dont tell me u were buying some girl scout cookies wen i got ur $ but ya come over i got ur $

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