Police examining Mason Moulding’s death later removed neglected animals, addressed other vulnerable residents and charged three people connected to the property.
SCOTTSVILLE, Ky. — What began as the investigation of an unresponsive 1-year-old at a Scottsville home grew within days into a broader examination of living conditions at the property, leading authorities to remove numerous animals, address the safety of other vulnerable residents and bring charges against three adults.
The child, Mason Moulding, died July 27 after being taken for medical treatment from a home on Cottage Drive. Investigators say conditions at the residence were dangerously unsanitary, with court records describing accumulated trash, insects, animal waste, poor ventilation and no running water in areas where Mason stayed. The allegations eventually led to a murder charge against 22-year-old Deavan Williams, the boyfriend of Mason’s mother, as well as first-degree criminal-abuse charges against the child’s mother, Alexandrae Price, 22, and grandmother, Tina Renee Price, 51.
The physical condition of the property became a central part of the investigation rather than a secondary detail. According to arrest documents, Mason spent time in a lower-level walkout basement and in an un-air-conditioned garage. Authorities described his playpen as sitting amid contamination that included animal urine and feces, discarded diapers and other waste. Investigators also reported flies, spiders, moisture and poor ventilation. The residence did not have running water, and Williams told police that he and Alexandrae Price used water from an outdoor garden hose to bathe Mason.
Williams’ own statements, as described in court filings, indicated that he understood the environment posed health risks. He told investigators he was surprised the child had not developed parasites because of the conditions. Police also said Williams acknowledged that Mason repeatedly placed unsafe materials in his mouth, including pieces of diapers and furniture. According to court records, Williams knew the boy had been handling or consuming material from a soiled diaper before he became unresponsive on July 27.
Those statements became part of a larger allegation of continuing neglect. Investigators said Williams was Mason’s primary caregiver while Alexandrae Price worked and was the only adult caring for the child immediately before the emergency. Williams initially told police he fell asleep and Mason consumed part of a contaminated diaper and choked. Court filings say he later provided materially inconsistent accounts of the events leading to the boy’s injuries. Police further alleged that Williams had intentionally given Mason extremely spicy food despite Alexandrae Price telling him to stop.
The scope of the inquiry broadened quickly after the initial arrests. On July 31, Allen County Animal Control returned to the Cottage Drive home. Authorities removed three dogs, 12 cats and an opossum. Police said most of the animals showed severe signs of neglect and that several were in such poor condition they had to be euthanized. The animal findings added another dimension to investigators’ description of a residence where sanitation and basic care had allegedly deteriorated across several areas of daily life.
Authorities also said other vulnerable people connected to the residence required attention. Local police reported that multiple agencies were working to address their welfare and placement needs, though officials limited the details they released. WNKY reported that two adult men with autism were removed from the home and placed somewhere safe. The investigation subsequently produced an allegation against Tina Renee Price of knowingly abusing or neglecting an adult, in addition to the first-degree criminal-abuse charge involving Mason and a second-degree cruelty-to-animals charge.
Tina Renee Price was arrested July 31, four days after Mason’s death. Her arrest illustrated how investigators were treating the home itself as part of the evidence. The charges against her are allegations and have not been proved in court. Police have not publicly alleged that all three defendants played identical roles in Mason’s care, and the charges against them differ. Williams faces the most serious accusation, a murder charge added after investigators reviewed evidence gathered during the first week of the case.
The early response had been more limited. Scottsville police and the Allen County Sheriff’s Office went to the Cottage Drive residence July 27 after Mason was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Authorities initially described the matter simply as a death investigation and said two people were in custody. On July 28, officials identified the case as the death of a 1-year-old and announced that Williams and Alexandrae Price had been charged with first-degree criminal abuse of a child 12 or younger.
As detectives continued working, the account of Mason’s final day came into sharper focus. Court records say the child was seen alive earlier July 27 while shopping with his mother at a Food Lion. Alexandrae Price later left for work. Williams remained with Mason and acknowledged being the sole adult responsible for him during the period immediately before his collapse. Investigators said the child later arrived for medical care with bruising and bleeding from his mouth, circumstances that led authorities to scrutinize Williams’ explanations.
Preliminary medical examiner findings added to those concerns. Court filings say the examination documented multiple traumatic injuries and findings investigators considered consistent with possible child abuse. Police said those injuries did not fit the various explanations attributed to Williams. The completed medical examiner’s report, however, had not been released as of the most recent public update, and authorities have not publicly announced a final cause and manner of Mason’s death. That distinction remains important because the criminal case is still pending.
On Aug. 3, investigators obtained a murder warrant for Williams. A judge found probable cause after police presented information concerning Williams’ exclusive care of Mason during the relevant period, his statements, evidence from the residence, witness information and preliminary medical findings. The warrant alleged that Williams wantonly caused serious physical injury that resulted in the child’s death. Williams had already been in custody on the criminal-abuse charge.
Police continued to seek evidence after the new charge. Investigators prepared additional search warrants, conducted more interviews and worked with Bowling Green police on the examination of digital evidence, including cellphones. They also appealed publicly for people who had firsthand knowledge of the house or its occupants to speak directly with investigators. The request extended to neighbors, relatives, friends, delivery workers and others who may have observed the conditions before Mason died.
By September, the investigation was moving toward the grand-jury stage. The Allen County-Scottsville Crime Task Force said Sept. 10 that the case was likely to be presented to a grand jury Sept. 23. Officials said they had received an update from the medical examiner’s office but that its investigation was still not complete. A task-force agent said the findings to that point continued to point toward physical abuse and possibly other abuse.
The broader investigation means the case is now about more than the conditions described in the first arrest documents. Police have examined the treatment of Mason, the care of animals and the safety of other vulnerable residents while separating the alleged conduct of each defendant. Any grand-jury action will address whether prosecutors have enough evidence to move felony allegations forward; it will not decide guilt.
Williams, Alexandrae Price and Tina Renee Price remain accused in the case as the Sept. 23 grand-jury presentation approaches. The final medical examiner findings have not been publicly released, and investigators have continued to characterize the case as active while evidence is reviewed.
Author note: Last updated September 21, 2026.