Babies alone in filthy Detroit motel room reeked of urine

DETROIT (WJBK) - As the mom accused of leaving her two small children alone in a Detroit motel room while gunshots were fired is charged with child abuse, we've learned more about the disgusting living conditions where the kids were found.

Michele Penick, 24, was arraigned Thursday on two counts of second-degree child abuse. The young mother is accused of leaving her kids alone, hungry and filthy inside the Cranbrook House Motel. 

The charges each carry a 10-year felony if convicted. 

Police were called to the Cranbrook Hotel near 8 Mile and the Lodge around 12:30 a.m. Tuesday when a 29-year-old reported he had been shot. While investigating, they found a bullet home in one of the rooms. They went inside the room and found the two children in disgusting living conditions.

Babies found alone with soiled diapers in Detroit motel after gunshots outside room

Police said they believe the one-year-old girl and 7-month-old boy had been in the motel room, alone, for hours. Penick eventually came forward and told police she was the mother.

Police said two rooms were under the name of a friend of hers, and she said they've been staying there since December. 

Two young children found alone in Detroit motel after shooting

Police said the rooms were absolutely filthy with garbage, urine and feces. The children were filthy, suffered from eczema, and smelled so badly of urine, even after they scrubbed her down, their skin still smelled. 

Police told FOX 2 it did not appear that the children had been fed recently.

During her court hearing on Thursday, Penick was ordered not to have any contact with her children. She didn't appear to be fazed by that mandate.

Penick has a total of three children by two men. One of the fathers now has all three in his care and is working to gain custody of all three. That's a decision that Child Protective Services will have to make.

For now, Penick is in court on a $150,000 cash bond.