Iowa Parents Charged After Baby Found Unconscious in Bleach-Filled Bucket

Authorities discovered the 1-year-old in a filthy, mouse-infested home, leading to charges of child endangerment and neglect.

The 1-year-old boy was found unconscious with his head submerged in a bucket of bleach at the family's Dubuque, Iowa home in October 2024.
The child suffered acute respiratory failure and was transported to two hospitals, including the University of Iowa Hospital, for specialized care.
The home was described by investigators as filthy, with garbage, food, and mice present, and a used diaper found in a cooking pot on the kitchen stove.
Parents Scott Marcov and Madelyn Marcov were arrested on February 25, 2025, and charged with child endangerment and neglect of a dependent person causing serious injury.
The couple posted a $20,000 bond each, and the case had been under investigation for four months prior to their arrest.