DUBUQUE, IA (LOOTPRESS) – A Dubuque couple has been charged with Neglect or Abandonment of a Dependent Person after their one-year-old child fell into a bucket of bleach water and suffered severe injuries.
According to Dubuque police, Scott Marcov, 30, and Madelyn Marcov, 28, were charged following an incident on October 1, 2024, at their home on Central Avenue.
Emergency responders, including police and the fire department, arrived to find the infant unconscious. The child had been retrieved by another young child, who carried him toward the living room and alerted the parents. Madelyn Marcov then called 911.
Investigators determined that Scott Marcov was in the bathroom while Madelyn Marcov was in the living room when the infant fell into a bucket of bleach water, with his head submerged for an undetermined period. The child suffered acute respiratory failure and loss of consciousness. He was intubated and transported to a hospital in Iowa City for further treatment.
During a search warrant of the home, police described unsanitary conditions, including garbage and food covering the floors and countertops. Officers also found mice running around, a dead mouse in the kitchen, and a dirty diaper inside a cooking pot on the countertop.
Charges were officially filed against Scott and Madelyn Marcov on Thursday. The investigation is ongoing.
