An Angus woman has admitted wilfully neglecting children aged 3 and 1 who were found in a house with blood and faeces-stained carpet, exposed electrical wiring and a maggot-infested cot.
A knife was found on the floor of the house, where the older child was also injured by an unguarded electric heater.
The 21-year-old, who cannot be named, did not appear at Forfar Sheriff Court but admitted a charge relating to the offence on Boxing Day last year at a house in the town.
Under the charge brought under the Children and Young Persons (Scotland) Act, the woman pleaded guilty by letter to wilfully neglecting the two tots and exposing them in a manner likely to cause them unnecessary suffering or injury to their health.
The charge alleges that having attained the age of 16 and with responsibilities to a child or young person under that age, or having charge or care of a child that she failed to provide a habitable and hygienic living environment for the two youngsters named in the complaint in that she left rotten food and household waste within reach of them, failed to clean urine, faeces and blood from a carpet, failed to clean faeces and flies from the walls and failed to clean urine and faeces from bedding.
It also alleges that she allowed a cot mattress to become infested with maggots and left moulded clothing on the worktops and floor of the property.
The charge continues that the accused failed to ensure the house was safe from hazards and that she allowed electrical wiring to be exposed, clutter to gather across the floors and cause trip hazards, failed to repair or replace ripped carpets and exposed the youngsters to trip hazards.
It also states that she left a knife on the floor and an electric heater unguarded which caused an injury to the three-year-old.
Sheriff Gregor Murray deferred sentence on the accused until next month for the preparation of a criminal justice social work report and for her to appear personally in court.