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Written by: E. George
Published October 29, 2024 @ 3:20 PM ET
Warning: The following story contains information regarding alleged physical violence against/neglect of children.
FLOYD COUNTY, Ga. – An Armuchee couple is facing child cruelty charges after multiple reports of issues at their residence regarding unsanitary and unsafe living conditions. The investigation began in February 2023, when Armuchee school employees alerted authorities about Sandy Michelle Ware and Donaldson Clark Ware’s children arriving to class in unkempt states and emitting foul odors.
Police reports indicated a history of code violations inside and outside the trailer and numerous incidents with code enforcement, police, and school officials.
An officer’s report described the outside of the home as overgrown with weeds and surrounded by garbage and debris. Without even opening the front door, she could smell a terrible odor “that only got stronger when [she] got inside.”
A walkthrough of the home revealed each room cluttered with piles of clothing, toys, trash, and other debris, and in the children’s rooms, prevented her from entering past the thresholds. The bedrooms were “in complete disarray,” and “there were roaches crawling on the walls, floor, and in and out of the piles of clothes.”
The floor throughout the home was completely unsafe and unstable. The flooring in the hallway and bathroom contained large holes that one could fall through, at least up to the knee or thigh, depending on the size of the person.
The kitchen was filthy and extremely unsanitary. The officer said the counters, table, and floor were covered with old food, food containers, trash, dirty dishes, and crumbs.
At least two mice ran across the countertops, and there were roaches all over the table. “There were large areas of mouse droppings on the floor,” and “the smell in the house was a mixture of dogs, trash, and cigarette smoke.”
Sandy Ware told the officer she and her husband would address all the issues; however, when officers returned several times, conditions had not improved. In some cases, problems had gotten worse.
The holes in the floor had gotten bigger, allowing snakes to infest the trailer. Building inspection arrived, documented everything, and advised that he would be doing an emergency closure of the home the following Monday.
Officers arrested Sandy at home and Donaldson in the lobby of Armuchee Primary School when he attempted to pick up his child. Donaldson allegedly uttered, “This is bullsh*t,” when the officer approached him.
The couple was transported to the Floyd County Jail. Sandy was charged with one count and Donaldson with two counts of first-degree child cruelty – deprivation of necessary sustenance.
This case is currently pending in court.
Officer’s Narrative:
[Please note: The following is a direct transcription from the official initial incident report. The Georgia Gazette does not fix any spelling or grammatical errors that may exist. Any changes or redactions made by our staff are placed inside brackets. Some errors may exist. All subjects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The topics discussed may be sensitive to some readers. Discretion is advised.]
[NARRATIVE #1 on August 14, 2024]
On or about February of 2023, Armuchee school counselors began having concerns about [REDACTED BY AGENCY] regarding the cleanliness and conditions of their home as they were coming to school with afoul odor. The counselors notified FCPD EPD to assist in the matter. There have been numerous contacts and attempted contacts to the residence and with the parents, Sandy and Donaldson Ware. The family has had numerous Floyd County code violations regarding the conditions inside and outside the trailer. The issues had been addressed multiple times and it seemed the family would do just enough to avoid further troubles with code enforcement, police and school officials.
I became involved with the family around December of 2023 after being approached by the school counselors for the same previous issues. I made several visits to the home, eventually speaking with both parents. The outside of the residence was overgrown and was surrounded by trash and debris. On my initial visit, I advised Sandy the reason for the visit, which was a followup for the school as they were concerned about the odor that the boys were coming to school with. Sandy Ware allowed me to come inside the home after to do a walk through. I immediately smelled a very strong odor coming from the front door that only got stronger when I got inside. I observed that were a couple of couches in the living room that were covered in piles of clothes, allegedly clean according to Sandy.
As I continued through the living room, I walked down the hallway coming to the first room on the left. Sandy advised that the room was [REDACTED BY AGENCY] room but that it was messy and needed to be cleaned. When she opened the door I observed a bunk bed which was covered with toys, clothes, trash and other clutter and debris. It appeared that the room had been in that state for a while. The floors were cluttered in the same way as the bed to the point that I could not go any further than the threshold. I noticed the hallway floor was unstable and had holes underneath the carpet. I had to grab onto the nearest object that I could so my foot didn’t go through the floor.
There was a washer and a dryer in the hallway before getting to the bathroom on the left. The bathroom also had several holes in the floor big enough to fall through, at least up to the knee or thigh, depending the size of the person. One of the holes was only being covered by a piece of plywood. The bathroom was cluttered but not necessarily a concern at that time. The parent’s bedroom was at the very end of the trailer. There is a mattress and box spring, dresser and several other items in the room which was also very cluttered and messy. There were piles over clothes in the floor, in the corners and on top of different pieces of furniture.
According to Sandy, the youngest child, [REDACTED BY AGENCY] and Donaldson sleep in this bed at night, while she’s at work. [REDACTED BY AGENCY] could sleep in the other bedroom on the bunk bed however the room is too cluttered. Both bedrooms are in complete disarray that I couldn’t walk further than a few feet into the room. There were roaches crawling on the walls, floor and in and out of the piles of clothes. The floor throughout the house, but especially past the living room and hallway, are completely unsafe and unstable. The kitchen is to the right of the living room and was filthy and extremely unsanitary.
There is a kitchen table completely covered in food containers, old food, boxes of food and trash. Open trash bags overflowing with trash were hanging from the chairs and sitting on the floor. There were roaches all over the table, in the trash bags and food. There were large areas of mouse droppings on the floor. The kitchen counters were covered in trash, crumbs, old food and dirty dishes. While standing in the kitchen, I saw at least two mice run across the counter tops. The smell in the house was a mixture of dogs, trash and cigarette smoke. I advised Sandy that I would give her and her husband a chance to clean up and correct the issues with the rodent and insects. She advised that she would bug bomb the home and take care of the rodent problem. I didn’t see any emergency reason for action past addressing the violations at this time.
I checked back several times over the next few months and was only able to make contact with Donaldson on one occasion. At that time, the outside of the home looked much better, the grass was cut and some of debris and the trash had been removed. I explained to Donaldson what I had discussed with Sandy on the previous visit. He advised they were still working on the inside. After this visit. I checked back multiple times but could never get anyone to answer the door.
On 8/13/24, the Armuchee school counselor made a DFCS referral on the family and requested that PD go out and make another visit to the residence. Capt. Hunton, building inspection and I went to the home and observed that the yard was, again, severely overgrown and there was trash and debris all over the yard. Capt. Hunton knocked multiple times and were unable to get anyone to the door. We decided to wait for [REDACTED BY AGENCY] bus to drop him off. As the bus was pulling up and was unloading [REDACTED], Sandy answered the door. Capt. Hunton and I advised Sandy of the reason for our visit. Capt. Hunton stayed outside talking with [REDACTED BY AGENCY] while Sandy, building inspection and I went inside, with Sandy’s consent. The had not improved at all and in some cases had gotten worse.
In the bathroom, the holes that were already there had gotten even bigger and I could now see straight through the flooring to the ground underneath the residence. All the other issues, including the pungent odor, were still present. There is also a current snake problem due to holes in the trailer, the excess trash and extreme overgrowth of grass and weeds. Building inspection documented everything and advised that he will be doing an emergency closure the following Monday. Capt. Hunton and I decided to allow Sandy and the kids to stay with someone for the night. Sandy advised that they would go stay with her sister, [REDACTED], in Summerville.
On 8/14/24 I obtained warrants for Sandy and her husband for Cruelty to Children 1st Degree 2cts. At approx. 1341 hrs on 8/14/24, Capt. Bohannon arrived at [400 BLOCK] Sike Storey Rd to execute the warrant. Sandy answered the door and I proceeded to tell her that she was being charged for Child Cruelty. Sandy was placed in handcuffs by Capt. Bohannon at this time. Sandy asked if I could call her sister on speaker phone to let her know of the situation and to ask her to pick up the kids. I called [REDACTED] on Sandy’s phone and [REDACTED] agreed to pick the kids up from school. Capt. Bohannon transported Sandy to the Floyd County without incident.
Animal Control was notified about the dogs that were in a bedroom, where Sandy put them before being transported.
[End of Narrative]
[NARRATIVE #2 on August 14, 2024]
On Wednesday August 14, 2024 at around 1341 I assisted Officer B. Carrington with a warrant service at [400 BLOCK] Sike Storey road. The listed offender Sandy Ware was present at the residence and was accused on the warrant of Cruelty to children in the first degree. Officers made contact with the accused and explained what was taking place she was placed under arrest at 1349. The accused was taken into custody with her hands being placed behind her back an the cuffs being checked for proper fit and double locked. The accused was transported to the county jail and released in the custody of the jail staff. The arrest and transport were without incident. The rear seat of car 09 was checked both prior to and following the arrest of the accused and no contraband was located.
[End of Narrative]
[NARRATIVE #3 on August 14, 2024]
On 08/14/2024 at approximately 1450 hours I received a call from Mrs. [REDACTED] (Armuchee Social Worker) that Donaldson Ware was in the lobby of Armuchee Primary attempting to pick up [REDACTED], who is the victim in a case against Mr. Ware. We were familiar with the fact that Ware had felony warrants and also had an outstanding probation violation warrant.
I arrived at the school, parking in the bus lane away from the front lobby. I walked up to the main doors and as I was about to open the door, Mr. Ware opened the door staring at me. Mr. Ware asked if I was there to “lock” him up, and I advised him that I was. His response was “This is bullsh*t”, but after that he agreed that he wouldn’t give me any trouble. As I was putting Ware in handcuffs Officers Werner and Carrington arrived at the door and agreed to escort Ware over to my patrol car, also where they had parked. Prior to escorting, I had informed the Principal to hold the car line for about 5 minutes until Ware was out of sight of the children. Once Ware was out of sight the car line was released and the children were dismissed. Ware was permitted to call his boss since he was in a company vehicle and arranged for it to be picked up. Ware was transported to the Floyd County Jail by Officer Vasser.
[End of Narrative]
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