Two Iowa parents, Scott and Madelyn Marcov, ages 30 and 28, respectively, were arrested after their 1-year-old was found unconscious after falling inside a bucket filled with bleach. The incident, which happened on October 1, 2024, revealed more concerning living conditions at the Marcov house. Both Scott and Madelyn have now been charged with neglect and child endangerment.
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According to KCRG, the incident took place at the Marcov residence, located on Central Avenue. The 1-year-old fell into the bucket filled with bleach water and remained with his head submerged for an undisclosed amount of time. Said time sufficed for the toddler to suffer "acute respiratory failure and loss of consciousness, as per an affidavit obtained by outlets such as Law & Crime and The Independent.
The affidavit in question detailed that the 1-year-old was discovered inside the bucket by one of Marcov's other children. Grabbing the infant, the child would scream for help, grabbing the attention of both Scott and Madelyn Marcov. Reportedly, when the incident took place, Scott was in the bathroom and Madelyn was in the living room.
Paramedics arrived and the toddler was intubated. He was later transported to the University of Iowa Hospital to receive further treatment.
'Completely Filthy'
Following the incident, Iowa police obtained a search warrant to inspect the Marcov residence and obtain evidence for their investigations. Detectives were shocked when they discovered the condition in which the 1-year-old and the rest of the children were living. They described the house as "completely filthy."
"Officers observed mice moving around, a dead mouse on the floor in the kitchen, garbage, and food all over the floor and countertops," police wrote in a criminal complaint. Furthermore, detectives also wrote that they found a dirty diaper that was placed inside a cooking pot. The pot was on the kitchen top at the time.
Four months of investigations later, Iowa police arrested both Scott and Madelyn Marcov. They charged them with neglect of a dependent person and child endangerment while causing serious injury on February 20, 2025. Both of them posted a $20,000 bond, according to Law & Crime. The condition of the 1-year-old or their two other children, ages 4 and 6, are currently unknown.
