Anick Deseve tries not to think about what she saw, it still makes her cry.

Three young girls, left home alone — the youngest just nine months old, found at the top of the stairs.

A two-year-old and three-year-old — all crying, wailing and calling for their mother.

“Maman, maman,” is what many neighbours say they heard through the thin walls of the apartment complex on Lebrun St.

Deseve said she held the baby for a while before police and CAS officials took the trio away to CHEO.

All dirty-faced, the eldest found half-naked and covered in caked-on, dried feces.

There were no beds to be seen, just mattresses on the floor and scatterings of bread bits and banana peels.

It happened Monday afternoon — the crying began around 4 p.m. and police finally were called around 5 p.m.

The children wouldn’t let the officers in, so they had to go into a neighbouring unit and jump across the balcony.

Luckily, that door was unlocked.

Neighbour Melanie Boudreau was shocked when she saw the inside of the home.

She managed to get a look into the apartment and noticed none of the kids had diapers.

“It was really sad,” she said. “I can’t imagine doing that to my own children. It’s ridiculous.”

James Campbell, Anick’s partner, says he was the one who called police.

I could see them through the front window,” he said. “The little girl had no pants on.”

Anick went over and put her hands to the glass window, and tried to calm the girls by speaking to them in French.

“It’s the worst thing I’ve ever seen,” he said. “The baby was at the top of the stairs. She had a rash, it was disgusting. They were all crying and scared.”

It’s not known how long the children were home alone.

There are allegations she may have been gone for several hours.

Neighbours say the woman and her children had only lived there a few months.

Some time later, investigators managed to get in touch with their mother.

According to Insp. John Maxwell, she was in Gatineau.

She was asked to come to the hospital but never arrived.

Instead, a man claiming to be the children’s father showed up. Police sent him away because he wasn’t able to prove who he was.

“While I can’t comment on this specific case,” said Maxwell, “Ottawa Police takes such cases very seriously.Many of us have children and we hope members of the public will call if they suspect they are being neglected or mistreated.”

Campbell said he initially intended to give police an anonymous tip but changed his mind the more he thought about it.

“It’s one of those things I can’t watch go on,” he said. “As long as they get a good meal and a warm bath, that’s all I care about.”

Twitter: @DougHempstead

Never fear calling CAS

The Children’s Aid Society says neighbours shouldn’t hesitate to call if they think a child is in danger or has been neglected.

“They normally call police,” said spokesman Cindy Perron. “We wish they’d think of us first.”

While she can’t comment on this case, Perron said taking children to CHEO after police have been called is a typical procedure.

Children are not always taken away.

“Everything is a situation-by-situation basis,” she said. “Police have an obligation to call us if there is a need.”

Perron said CAS works with parents to try to resolve the situation.