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3 Infants Found Dead In Blackstone Home

BLACKSTONE (CBS) – A woman is under arrest after the remains of three infants were found in a Blackstone home on Thursday. The discovery was made at 23 St. Paul Street during a child endangerment investigation.

Worcester County District Attorney Joseph A. Early says "the house is in squalor" and has been condemned. Investigators had to wear hazmat suits because of the conditions inside the home, which included massive insect infestation, mounds of used diapers and feces.

Blackstone
Hazmat teams enter what has been called a potential crime scene in Blackstone. (WBZ)

The gender of the infants and their cause and time of death is unknown. "There's a lot of work left to do under what can only be described as deplorable conditions," Early said.

The home is less than a quarter-mile from the Blackstone Police station. Sources tell WBZ-TV's Kate Merrill they fear more bodies are inside the home.

Blackstone Police have arrested and charged 31-year-old Erika Murray with witness intimidation and other charges in connection to the living conditions at the home. She will be arraigned in Uxbridge District Court Friday morning.

Two weeks ago, four children were removed from the home by the Department of Children and Families. The children removed are six-months old, three-years old, 10-years old and 13-years old.

Watch: DA Early's Statement

Neighbors say they only thought two children lived in the home, and never saw the three-year-old or six-month-old. "They came out with two babies that we had never seen before, knew nothing about," a neighbor said.

"Nobody in the neighborhood knew they had more than two children," another neighbor said.

St. Paul Street was blocked off by police on Thursday afternoon and investigators will likely remain at the scene for several days.

Department of Children and Families Director of Public Affairs Cayenne Isaksen said Thursday afternoon that the search of the home is a part of "an ongoing criminal investigation."

"The children are currently in the custody of the Department of Children and Families," said Isaksen.

"DCF has never had an open case with this family and learned about this situation through a 51A report. DCF referred the report to the local District Attorney's office for further action and is working in collaboration with law enforcement to investigate the report."

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