TEMPLE, Texas — According to neighbors, the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services took over the residence of a home back in December of 2021 that has seen over eight hundred 9-1-1 calls reported in less than two years.
"Nobody in the neighborhood knew what was going on," said Steven Bentsen, who lives next to the home on the 1800 block of Stratford Drive. "We thought it was another family moving into the house until things started looking a little suspicious."
The home is the only one under DFPS watch but the 803 disturbance calls since the beginning of the CPS lease range from assault and sexual assault, runaway teenagers, fights, criminal mischief, and criminal trespassing.
"They rotate kids in and out. There could be one, there could be four, five maybe," Bentsen said. "These kids are not getting the help they need, they're just not."
In statements to 6 News, Temple Police Department Public Information Coordinator Megan Price said many of the children come from "very unstable homes" and "many have not had good examples teaching them to make good decisions."
According to TPD, these are "children without placement" in the foster system being sent to this home until DFPS can find them a permanent residence.
But Bentsen said there have been nights when Temple Police, fire and EMS have showed up at the home in the middle of the night sometimes "twice during an evening" or "every night for a week."
Bentsen said the teens have even become aggressive and damaged his property.
Bentsen said in the early morning hours one night, the teens were playing basketball, and after being awakened by the noise he came out and found the ball by his driveway. Trying to get them to stop playing, Bentsen did not give the teens back the ball and that's when he said one "bent his pinky finger back" nearly breaking it in retaliation.
Since the house is under DFPS supervision, local authorities have little jurisdiction to intervene when they're called out to a disturbance. However, TPD said "The department works on trying to build relationships with the children and staff. In the attempts to mentor these children will hopefully assist them to make good choices."
TPD confirmed they have responded to assaults and other offenses committed by children in foster care and "take the appropriate actions" in those cases.
Bentsen and other residents said law enforcement officers from the Milam County Sheriff's Office and Falls County Sheriff's Office have responded to calls at the residents which he believes is pulling resources away from those communities to deal with the issue.
The adult resident at the home referred all comment on the story to DFPS. DFPS was not contacted for comment in this story, as first reported. All information comes from Temple Police Department and Bentsen.
6 News will keep you updated with the latest