PAWNEE COUNTY, Okla. — A Pawnee County couple was charged with first-degree murder and child neglect after their 1-year-old daughter was found dead in their home.

According to court documents, Pawnee County Sheriff’s deputies responded to reports of an unresponsive child at a home in Terlton on March 3 around 7 a.m.

Once on scene, first responders found the home in unsanitary conditions, with a 1-year-old child unresponsive. Another child in the home allegedly had dried food, glitter, and animal hair stuck to his body.

Deputies spoke with 39-year-old Christopher Johnson and 31-year-old Kourtany Johnson, the children’s parents.

Christopher and Kourtany allegedly told deputies the 1-year-old child ingested liquid opioids the day before. Both claimed they turned their back ‘for a second’ when the child ingested the medicine, but she was still breathing so they didn’t seek medical treatment. They found her unresponsive the next morning.

“From what was stated to us was the child ingested the methadone around 11 a.m. on the 2nd and that they had gone to bed around 11:00 that night and that’s when they say the child was still breathing then, but awoke and found her unresponsive,” Pawnee County Deputy Buddy Townes said.

Both were taken into custody while first responders investigated.

Deputies and an investigator with the State Medical Examiner searched the residence, which court documents say was home to multiple animals, with trash, rotting food, and bug infestations as well as open medicine bottles scattered throughout.

“Animal feces everywhere, maggots, swarms of flies all throughout the house, cockroaches and bed bugs. It was just a complete infestation, no running water, no electricity. It was a pretty bad scene,” Townes said.

Townes said in his 16 years of law enforcement, it was the worst he’s ever seen.

“Every first responder, this is our biggest nightmare when we have to go out and deal with small children especially, it’s hard. Over the years especially something I’ve learned and I stride to teach younger guys is we have to be the voice for those little ones that can’t speak for themselves,” Townes said.

The State Medical Examiner determined the child had been dead since the previous afternoon.

Christopher and Kourtany were each charged with first-degree murder and felony child neglect and were booked into Pawnee County Jail. They’ll be back in court later this month.

Townes said two other children were living in the home and said DHS and the district attorney’s office are working to reconnect them with other family members.