PRIDE — Two children among five discovered to be living in a roach-infested home without running water or air conditioning were previously the focus of prior investigations regarding child abuse, according to court records.

On Oct. 19, Cyrus and Samantha Mayo were arrested on cruelty to juveniles charges after deputies discovered the deplorable conditions the children were living in. 

According to arrest records, roaches were found on the walls, ceilings, and inside the refrigerator of the mobile home four of the children were living in, with garbage, spoiled food and other filth being found throughout the home. 

The Department of Child and Family Services took all five children into custody and brought them to a hospital, with all of them requiring some level of medical attention.

Cyrus Mayo previously asked for a restraining order against his ex-wife, Katherine Mayo, in 2023 after his son claimed to have heard his mother threaten to kill the family if the children told Cyrus or Samantha Mayo about "how bad" they were treated at Katherine Mayo's residence, with her allegedly detailing how she would commit the crime. 

The restraining order also said that the children were afraid to go to school out of fear of being checked out by their mother.

Cyrus Mayo also claimed that his daughter received a concussion after hitting her head on a truck and remained in a bloody shirt for nine hours until she was eventually brought to the hospital. Amongst other allegations, he also accused Katherine Mayo of not taking their daughter to the doctor after she was bitten by a horse.

The restraining order was dismissed a month later as he allegedly failed to prove the allegations, according to court records. 

In 2024, Cyrus Mayo asked for sole custody as Katherine Mayo was being investigated by DCFS, with Katherine Mayo agreeing to the conditions. 

In 2025, she was arrested for cruelty to juveniles involving two children who were allegedly living in deplorable conditions, with the children allegedly having head lice, rashes, and infections while living in a mold-infested house with a leaking roof, according to records.

According to a complaint, with police, Katherine allegedly physically assaulted the children with a belt buckle during a live stream on TikTok. She was later arrested for cruelty to juveniles by the Baton Rouge Police Department.