Newton Citizen

COVINGTON -- An ambulance with Newton County Emergency Medical Services was dispatched to an Oxford home in the early morning hours Monday, but when personnel arrived at the scene they were unable to enter the home, according to a Newton County Sheriff's Office incident report.

A deputy was sent to a house on Ga. Highway 81 around 2:30 a.m. after EMS personnel called, advising they were not going back into the house because of the condition of the home. A 64-year-old woman who apparently needed medical assistance was inside.

"When I went to the door, I observed the floor was filled with feces and the rest of the house was dirty," the incident report states. "Medic 4 then contacted dispatch to have fire services respond. Once fire services arrived, they deemed the house was unsafe to be in."

Ultimately, Newton County Fire Service personnel entered the home in HAZMAT suits and were able to locate the woman and put her into the ambulance.

According to NCFS Chief Kevin O'Brien the scene was then turned back over to medical personnel.

"Newton County does not have a standing ordinance on unsafe living conditions," he said, adding that it was his understanding that Newton Medical Center had reported the situation to the state.

Newton Medical Center's Director of Marketing and Business Development Linda Moseley Komich confirmed that Adult Protective Services with Georgia Environmental Health had been advised of the situation.

The 64-year-old woman has been discharged from the hospital and no details of her condition were available, Komich said.