New York School Custodian Secretly Lived on Campus with Four Children for Six Months
SingTao · 1 SOURCESabout 3 hours ago5 MIN
Summary
Timothy Walters, a 36-year-old chief custodian at Hackett Middle School in Albany, New York, lived secretly in a converted storage room on the school's fourth floor with his four children for six months. The married father, who earned $80,000 annually including overtime, struggled to afford independent housing after paying child support for his children. The arrangement came to light in late April 2024 when school officials reviewing CCTV footage for an unrelated加班費欺詐案 discovered Walters was present almost every night. He was suspended in May, resigned on June 23, and police initially charged him with trespassing before dropping the case. Walters now lives in his uncle's trailer park, has received job offers, and a GoFundMe campaign has been launched to help him find permanent housing.
Key Points
- Timothy Walters, 36, worked as chief custodian at Hackett Middle School for approximately 17 years, earning $80,000 yearly with overtime
- Unable to afford independent housing after paying child support for four children, he converted an unused storage room into a makeshift apartment starting October 2023
- The converted space contained folding beds, a sofa, old furniture, and a mini refrigerator; Walters brought his children to stay on weekends
- School officials discovered the arrangement in late April while reviewing CCTV footage for an unrelated investigation into falsified overtime records
- After being suspended in May, Walters resigned on June 23; trespassing charges were later dropped by police
Why It Matters
The case exposes the housing affordability crisis even for workers earning above-average wages, particularly for single parents managing child support obligations. While the situation resembles the plot of the South Korean film Parasite, it underscores a stark reality: essential workers sometimes lack access to stable housing despite steady employment. The incident has prompted discussions about employer assistance programs and the need for broader affordable housing solutions in expensive metropolitan areas.
The case exposes the housing affordability crisis even for workers earning above-average wages, particularly for single parents managing child support obligations. While the situation resembles the plot of the South Korean film Parasite, it underscores a stark reality: essential workers sometimes lack access to stable housing despite steady employment. The incident has prompted discussions about employer assistance programs and the need for broader affordable housing solutions in expensive metropolitan areas.