Dec. 26—WILKES-BARRE — A husband and wife charged with endangering their children by residing in what was reported in a house of filth recently pleaded guilty in Luzerne County Court.

Richard Kevin Rause Jr., 39, and Dana Elizabeth Ann Rause, 32, were charged by Wilkes-Barre Township police in March and February 2023, respectively, after their Metcalf Street apartment was condemned due to unsanitary conditions. according to court records.

Six children, ages 2 to 11, were taken into protective custody.

Police in court records say each child had feces and urine stains on their clothing or shoes, dirty and uncut fingernails, poor teeth, matted and dirty hair and skin sores.

The apartment was condemned due to interior conditions including feces smeared on walls, rotting or no food, broken pipes, exposed electrical wires, court records say.

The only heat source was a space heater found by police and township officials on a bed mattress.

After Dana Rause was charged by police, she claimed her husband had a bad temper and often assaulted her, court records say.

Richard Rause, represented by Attorney John A. Donovan from the Public Defender’s Office, pleaded guilty to a single count of endangering the welfare of children and simple assault before Judge David W. Lupas.

Prosecutors withdrew five counts of endangering the welfare of children, seven counts of reckless endangerment and one count each of simple assault and intimidation of victim or witness against Richard Rause.

Dana Rause, represented by Attorney Al Flora, pleaded guilty to six counts of endangering the welfare of children before Lupas.

Lupas scheduled the couple’s sentencing hearing on Jan. 19.