Seven children were taken from a Redding home during a retail theft investigation. The Neighborhood Police Unit has been investigating 31-year-old Joshua Powell, who they say recently got away with over $1,000 worth of merchandise from Walmart. On Tuesday officers saw Powell driving on Hilltop Drive and arrested him on felony warrants for grand theft. Police then searched Powell’s home looking for stolen goods. What they found was animal feces and dirty diapers littered all over the floor and seven children living there. The mother of two of the kids was there, and the other five are Powell’s. All 7 kids were taken by Child and Family Services. Powell was taken to jail, but had to be released to a hospital for an apparent drug-induced medical issue. Thursday he was arrested again.
-Steve Gibson