Parents Of 2 Kids Found Malnourished May Lose Custody

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The parents of two children found malnourished and in filthy living conditions in a Sherburne County home may now lose custody of the children, according to court documents.

Sherburne County officials have filed a petition to have the children placed into protective custody.

On March 12 at 12:20 p.m., the sheriff's office received a call from a local hospital that reported two children were brought in after their mother found them weak and thin. Authorities said they were 2 and 3 years old.

The children's mother, Roberta Gunderson, had been outside the state for the previous two months and authorities say the children were allegedly in the care of their father, Michael Gunderson.

Investigators searching the home on the 31600 block of 123rd Street Northwest in Baldwin Township said that they found it "extremely filthy and littered with garbage and dog feces throughout the household."

They also found nearly a pound of marijuana and other drug-related evidence.

Michael Gunderson faces two counts of felony child neglect and one count of felony drug possession in the case. He is due in court to face those charges Wednesday morning.

A custody hearing for Michael and Roberta Gunderson is scheduled for Tuesday morning.