Springfield couple accused of squatting in home, endangering children

A Springfield couple accused of squatting in a home without heat or running water with four children are facing child endangering charges, according to a police report.

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Russell D. Vanover, 61, and Jamie A. Vanover, 48, are each facing four counts of a child endangering, according to a police report. They’re expected to appear in court at 10:30 a.m. today.

The owner of a home in the 1400 block of South Center Street called police at about 9:45 p.m. Sunday evening because she believed the Vanover family was squatting at the home with children without running water.

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Russell Vanover told police there was no running water, refrigerator or heating at the home, the report said. The toilets were also allegedly filled with feces and could not be used because there was no water, it said. The children were also allegedly using the living room as a bedroom, which was only heated with a space heater.

The Vanovers told police they take their children to another home to get food, water and to be bathed, the report said. They also told police the home had been without water for about a week-and-a-half.

The children were placed in the care of a relative.

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