Three children were removed from a Golden City home after a search by the Ozarks Drug Enforcement Team showed they were living in squalid conditions, according to a probable cause statement filed today in Barton County Circuit Court.
Joshua Michael Cossell (DOB 1984) was charged with three felony counts of endangering the welfare of a child and a misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia.
His initial court appearance is scheduled for 9 a.m. October 21.
From the probable cause statement:
On 07/I0/2025 Joshua Cossel was contacted at his residence located at Golden City, Barton County MO, as part of a narcotics investigation.During the contact a consent search of Cossel's residence was conducted. During the consent search of Cossel's residence it was determined he was the caretaker for his 3 minor children, Victim I, Victim 2 and Victim 3, all under the age of 17.
The residence had no running water, no usable space in the kitchen as countertops and stovetops were largely covered with garbage. It was not possible to determine garbage from legitimate food sources for the children. The refrigerator, and freezer were both empty and the interiors of both were covered in fecal matter left behind by bugs.
The large amount of garbage in the kitchen produced a foul odor consistent with that of rotting food. The odor permeated most of the residence. The children were eating raw vienna sausages at the time of contact, and at one point Mr. Cossell picked up vienna sausages from the floor of the residence and placed them back on a tray in front of the children for them to eat.
A plastic baggie containing a very small amount of a crystalline substance which field tested positive for methamphetamine was located in a basket on the floor, and accessible to children, beside the bed in a room identified as being Mr. Cossel's bedroom.
Victim I, Victim 2 and Victim 3 were all removed from the residence and placed into the care of Children's Division.
1 comment:
This could be all methed up!
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