Vacaville Babies Found In Deplorable Conditions; Dad Charged

VACAVILLE (CBS13) — When a Vacaville man missed a school meeting, police went to the man's home on a welfare check and made a disturbing discovery.

"They're diapers were just overflowing with feces," Vacaville police Sgt. Mark Donaldson said. "Their clothing was urine-soaked."

A baby and a 2-year-old were found in their diapers, and officers say it appeared as if they hadn't been changed in days.

"One officer indicated in his report that the smell was so strong that he had to back out of the apartment to get some fresh air," Donaldson said. "Almost to the point that he was going to vomit because the stench was so overpowering."

And detectives say they were home alone.

A few hours later, their father, Jesse Costner, showed up to the police station and told officers he hadn't seen the children in a day and that a family member was caring for them. Costner also has two older children, 4 and 7.

But officers say neighbors saw him home just an hour before help arrived.

Martin Lowe lives upstairs from Costner. He says Costner's a good dad.

"I never smelled stench or anything from that apartment," he said.

But neighbors too afraid to go on camera say they always smelled a strong odor coming from the place.

Apartment manager David Silva never encountered the smell but worried something else was going on in that apartment.

"It's not surprising, but again like I said, we had a concern of drug activity there," he said. "We can't prove it."

Now the children are in protective custody along with their two older siblings, getting the care that officers say they so desperately needed.

Costner is charged with child endangerment. Investigators say the children's mother was not actively involved in their lives.