Submitted photo The kitchen in the Sebring home of Ashley Crawford is covered with dirt and debris. Crawford was arraigned Thursday on 12 misdemeanors after police found deplorable conditions at the home.

SEBRING — A Sebring woman charged with 12 misdemeanors pleaded not guilty Thursday after police found deplorable conditions at the home where she was living — with five animals and her daughter.

Ashley Crawford, 42, of East Ohio Avenue, has been in the Mahoning County jail since Sunday. Her bond was set at $5,000 by Mahoning County Area Court Judge Joseph Schiavoni.

Sebring Prosecutor Gary Van Brocklin said he had hoped the bond would have been set higher, because Crawford has a pattern of disappearing for many days.

Crawford’s 16-year-old daughter told police that she had been left alone for weeks at a time. The only way she was able to get food to eat was with an EBT card provided by her school, authorities were told.

Crawford is charged with child endangerment, building in unsafe conditions, five counts of prohibitions concerning companion animals and five counts of cruelty to animals. Van Brocklin said Crawford has substance abuse issues, but her charges are misdemeanors because she has no prior offenses relating to child or animal abuse.

At Crawford’s arraignment, she was declared indigent, so a lawyer will be appointed for her pretrial hearing set for 9:30 a.m. Aug. 25 at Mahoning County Area Court 3 in Sebring. She waived her right to a speedy trial Thursday.

She does face an additional charge for prohibitions concerning animals, but she did not enter a plea Thursday because that charge is a felony. She will appear for that charge Aug. 25, court records show.

Concerned relatives from out-of-state requested police perform a welfare check on Crawford and her daughter, which they did Aug. 3.

When police arrived, they found a house in complete disrepair, with urine and feces covering the floors and beverage cans littered throughout, according to a police report. The only room that was clean was the daughter’s, the report stated. Pictures provided by Sebring police show trash and miscellaneous items piled throughout the house. Dirt covered the floors, and paint was chipping on the walls. One could not take a step in the living room without having to step over or around trash, feces or furniture. Van Brocklin said the house has been condemned, and he does not believe it could be cleaned to take the odor out and make it habitable again.

“The odor hits you when you are 5 feet from the front steps,” he said.

A police report notes that an older daughter of Crawford’s told police she last visited the house in November 2021 and noticed trash and feces were starting to pile up.

The 16-year-old, meanwhile, is now in custody of her aunt and uncle — the family members who requested the welfare check.

Also in the house were five animals: two dogs and three cats. One of the cats was found dead in the basement. The other four animals have since been taken in by animal shelters to get medical treatment.

escott@tribtoday.com