A mother and her boyfriend are facing charges after they were accused of leaving four children in unlivable circumstances in a home on Charles Street in Knoxville.

"Their parents need to go to jail," said Robert Pittman.

Investigators say their mother, India McKnight, and her boyfriend Earl Kennedy are responsible.

The couple reportedly stayed in a house, one home over.

Pittman lives a street over and has children of his own. 

"You're supposed to make sure those children are alright, make sure they eat every day," he continued, " I don't think you deserve to have your kids."

According to the criminal complaints, it started with a sexual abuse investigation in August involving the boyfriend.

The responding officers noted that the four children lived in the home, and conditions were deplorable. There was allegedly no bed or even a mattress for them to sleep on; 20 cats, their feces and urine everywhere; No food, just one box of macaroni and cheese in a kitchen cabinet; and no heat or hot water since April

A neighbor agreed to speak with us, but under the condition that we keep his identity secret.

"It's kind of hard to put in words," he said.   

He knew McKnight and Kennedy. 

"They were okay, just normal kids, went to school," he said after being asked if the children looked to have any appearances of anything being wrong. 

The couple is facing multiple charges, including endangering the welfare of children.