Cockroaches His 'Only Friends.' Then Police See Where He's Been Living For Hours Every Day

Authorities in Texas have rescued a 4-year-old boy, who was found living in a closet in his parents’ meth-lab home, after he began referring to rats and cockroaches as his “friends.”

According to KTRK, police say the terrified young boy in question tested positive for methamphetamine after he was saved by the responding officers.

Investigators had reportedly been searching the home where the boy lived after receiving information that suggested the house was being used as a secret meth lab.

Though investigators have no idea just how long the boy had been living in the disgusting home, they believe he was sequestered to a tiny closet for several hours at a time.

Rachel Leal-Hudson, an attorney representing the little boy’s interests, said she was horrified to learn that the child had been referring to the rats and cockroaches in the sickening home as his only friends.

“He can articulate some things that are really shocking and surprising that tell us he was in there for a quite a length of time,” Leal-Hudson told KTRK.

“The detail on this case is very awful. This is a four-year-old child who has seen things an adult should not have seen,” she added.

While the boy admitted that he had tried to sneak out of the closet on several occasions, he was apparently punished and forced to sit on top of the refrigerator every time.

The little boy’s mother, April Burrier, was not home at the time of the search, though she was later arrested on child endangerment charges.

Though Burrier attempted to tell authorities that she left somebody else in charge of caring for her son while she was out, she didn’t have a name to offer.

Meanwhile, investigators are now attempting to track down a man they believe had been making and selling meth from the home.

The young boy's father, Robert Dehart, told police that he had left his son in his mother’s care after Thanksgiving and is now seeking to regain custody of the little boy.

"I just want to get him back. I just want to get him back home," he said.

Because he has previous drug convictions on his record, Dehart’s request has been denied until the results from his most recent drug test come back.

According to KTRK, for the time being, the 4-year-old boy will be placed in a foster home.

After several news outlets shared this horrific story on Facebook, many readers thanked police for saving the boy, while others slammed the child’s parents for putting him in such a dangerous situation in the first place.

“So cruel of those awful adults! God Forgive Them! I pray for the little boy peace and loving family to take care of him. He deserves a healthy growing up in a Good Family Home. Home is what he needs with Love!” one woman commented.

“My heart goes out to that poor little boy! It's getting to be a very scary world, and our poor kids,are,suffering because of it! Praying this little boy finds someone who will truely put his best intetest first! Our kids deserve the best!” another added.