When FBI agents arrived at a home in Philadelphia to execute a search warrant connected to alleged terroristic threats against the White House, they discovered something far beyond what they had anticipated — two young children living in squalor that one neighbor described as detectable from across the street.
Background
The Federal Bureau of Investigation descended on a residence in Northern Philadelphia on Tuesday to carry out a search warrant related to alleged threats targeting the White House. According to reporting by WPVI, agents were searching for evidence connected to Thomas Bach, 43, and his wife Megan Bach, 44. Instead, they found two children — a 5-year-old girl and an 8-month-old infant — living in conditions that authorities described as deplorable.
Neighbors told the station they had no idea children occupied the home at all. One neighbor who spoke off-camera said she never saw the girls outside or heard any indication minors lived inside the residence.
"Horrible stench every time you walked… I could smell it from across the street," neighbor Vex Holmquist told WPVI.
The odor emanating from the home was so powerful that federal agents called in a hazmat team, according to authorities. When officials finally gained full access, they described a scene of extreme neglect: garbage strewn throughout the residence, feces on the floor, and an infestation of fleas.
The Charges
Thomas Bach, 43, faces charges including endangering the welfare of a child, recklessly endangering another person, conspiracy, possession of an instrument of crime with intent, and weapons-related offenses. Megan Bach, 44, faces charges of endangering the welfare of a child and recklessly endangering another person.
Inside the home, authorities discovered approximately 40 living cats, a dog, and what FBI sources described as a complete absence of basic necessities. There was no running water. The children — both girls — were found with bruises and bug bites covering their bodies, according to law enforcement officials who spoke with WPVI.
"I could smell it from across the street," Holmquist recalled of her encounters with the home's exterior over time.
After removing Thomas and Megan Bach into custody, investigators took the two children to a hospital for medical evaluation. They have since been placed in the care of Pennsylvania's Department of Human Services.
The FBI also seized several firearms from the residence during the search, including at least one rifle, officials said. The weapons were removed as part of evidence collection connected to the ongoing federal investigation into alleged threats against the White House.
Animal control officers were called to the scene and removed approximately 40 cats and a dog before the home was boarded up by authorities.
Key Takeaways
- Two children — an 8-month-old infant and a 5-year-old girl — were found with bruises and bug bites in a Philadelphia home with no running water, garbage, feces, and flea infestation
- Thomas Bach, 43, faces charges of endangering the welfare of a child, recklessly endangering another person, conspiracy, possession of an instrument of crime with intent, and weapons-related offenses
- Megan Bach, 44, faces charges of endangering the welfare of a child and recklessly endangering another person
- FBI was at the home executing a search warrant connected to alleged terroristic threats against the White House
- Approximately 40 cats and one dog were removed by animal control; hazmat was called due to powerful stench
What's Next
Thomas Bach has a court hearing scheduled for July 20. Both parents remain in custody following their arrest at the scene. The federal investigation into alleged threats against the White House remains ongoing, officials said. The children are currently under the supervision of Pennsylvania's Department of Human Services after being evaluated at a local hospital.
The case raises questions about how two young girls could be hidden from neighbors' view in deplorable conditions — and what warning signs may have gone unnoticed in the community surrounding the Bach home.