14 Children - 2 Months to 17 yo - South Bend IN

23 people living in one home.Police were responding to a disturbance call at that home on North Leland Avenue around three this morning.When they entered the home, police said the conditions were unlivable.Police have been called to this home 30 times in the past six months.Of those 23 people living there, 14 were juveniles ranging in age from two months to 17 years old.Those juveniles were taken away by child protective services, but the other 9 people apparently still live there.615 North Leland sticks out like a sore thumb on North Leland Avenue in South Bend.“There have been drug arrests there before, it's a problem house," said neighbor Stephen Brademas.The home suffers from broken windows, loose wires and torn off shutters, and that's just on the outside.South Bend police responded to a fight at the home around 3 Friday morning.“It's nice to see them,” said Brademas. “You feel safer, but when I see 8 on the street at one time, it's like what the heck's going on."Police said they don't know who made the call to report the incident.Police said they've been called to the home 30 times in the past 6 months.But Friday morning was different.South Bend Police Captain Phil Trent said the fight at the home Friday morning prompted them to finally enter the home. Police said they probably caught the home in the worst possible manner. From cockroaches to feces and rotting garbage to no running water.Police describe the entire home as unlivable, unsafe and unsanitary.“This house has been a problem house for the last year and a half," Brademas said.Neighbors said the house was an obvious hazard and wondered why police hadn't investigated sooner?"How far an officer can get inside a house and look around and see what's going on is one thing," Trent said. "Another thing, I’m not sure this has been a primary residence for all 23 people."Police said they can't force the 9 adults still there out of the home but they tell us the case has been handed over to Child Protective Services, the health department and the prosecutor's office.Police said the kids were found in decent condition Friday morning.They encouraged anyone who sees this type of activity to call police right away for a welfare check.