Editor's note: An earlier version of this story said the incident happened at an apartment on Colony Avenue; it actually happened on Old Colony Avenue. The story has been updated to reflect this.
Authorities say a death investigation at a South Boston apartment complex led to the discovery of four children living in unsanitary conditions.
Details were limited Tuesday, but fire officials said they were called to Old Colony Avenue on Saturday morning for a cardiac arrest.
Six adults who appeared to be men were in the apartment, fire officials said. Firefighters found four kids in the back hidden by a man.
Get Boston local news, weather forecasts, lifestyle and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC Boston’s newsletters.
The children are between the ages of 5 and 10, according to the Boston Fire Department. Officials say all the adults were uncooperative and denied having kids inside.
Neighbors told NBC10 Boston they were shaken up.
Local
In-depth news coverage of the Greater Boston Area.
"Pretty traumatized by it and seeing what happened," one neighbor said. "I haven't slept for a couple of nights."
“There was hoarding, lot of uncleanliness in the apartment, lots of sex toys and drug paraphernalia all over the place," City Councilor Erin Murphy said.
Murphy says some of the partygoers tried to stop a firefighter from finding the kids.
"When he opened the door, he saw four children and what I believe are two adults in the back room, and it was really disturbing to him," Murphy said. "They just seemed scared."
The Boston Police Department put out a statement Thursday disputing the allegations relayed by Murphy.
"There were four children on site who all had a parent present in the residence. The parents and the officers who responded felt it was best for the children to stay in another room with one of the parents and took steps to avoid having the children see the deceased. Due to the nature of the call, and to ensure appropriate follow up with the families involved, officers did file a 51A with DCF," the department wrote. "Information that drugs and other concerning materials were strewn about the home is not supported by what officers encountered or by the information received on the scene."
Millie Payoute says the victim is a friend of her neighbors and died inside her neighbors' apartment.
"Just very sad," Payoute said. "I'm keeping her and her daughters in my prayers."
Police say the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families was called due to the apartment's condition. The agency confirmed in a statement Wednesday that they had taken custody of the children.
As of Wednesday, police said no arrests had been made.
