The 14-month-old great-grandson of alleged elder abuse victim Auntie Em is still living in the filthy conditions the 95-year-old was rescued from, a relative of the child has claimed.

The family member contacted The Royal Gazette to allege that the property had been allowed to fall back into disrepair after it was cleaned up earlier this year on the orders of Environmental Health officers.

The relative claimed the condition of the house could be detrimental to the health of the tiny child, who was removed from the property at the end of 2006 to live with his paternal grandmother but allowed to return in February.

This newspaper contacted the authorities last Thursday to warn officials that the baby could be in danger.

A spokeswoman for Family Services said on Monday that officials have since visited the house but found no one in and had tried to make contact with Auntie Em's adopted daughter — the baby's grandmother — without success.

This newspaper spoke to the adopted daughter over the telephone yesterday but she hung up on the conversation before responding to the latest allegation. A family member advised The Royal Gazette not to call at the house.

The spokeswoman confirmed that the property was deemed unsuitable for the little boy — the son of Auntie Em's 19-year-old granddaughter — last December.

During the same month, Environmental Health officers declared the conditions "undesirable and detrimental" to Auntie Em's health.

She was rescued by caregiver Yvonne Dawson, who gave up her own bed for the near-blind widow.

The family member — a relative of the baby's 18-year-old father, who is studying overseas — said: "I'm concerned for the baby. I know for a fact that the baby is still in there and that the (paternal) grandmother has contacted Family Services to find out what's going on.

"They have yet to call her back. We have had an incident already where the child was removed and they allegedly cleaned up the place and the baby has gone back.

"The child has already been rushed into hospital because he had breathing difficulties. It was earlier this year. Once the child was moved he never had to be taken to hospital. They need to do something. This child should not be in this environment. It's a health hazard."

The relative said a visitor to Auntie Em's home last week reported that the house was in a deplorable state again. The baby had just returned there after a month-long stay with his father and his father's relatives during the summer.

"It's no better," said the family member. "I think Family Services needs to be doing something about it. Messages have been left and they have yet to return calls."

They said the baby's paternal family was desperate to take care of the child in a safe, clean environment. "The first thing we do when the child comes is, we bathe him."

The Family Services spokeswoman said the department initially received referrals about the child from a health visitor and the Environmental Health department last year.

"Family Services was never contacted by the family," she said. "In December 2006, during the course of the Family Services investigation, the mother of the baby was informed that the house was not deemed suitable and that she could no longer reside at the address in question with her mother.

"She (the baby's mother) went to reside with a cousin but the baby couldn't stay with her and as a result the baby went to stay with its paternal grandmother. The baby remained out of the house for approximately two months."

The spokeswoman said Environmental Health officers revisited the house in February this year and informed Family Services they were satisfied with improvements made.

"Family Services also conducted a home visit and found that Auntie Em's room was extremely clean with new carpet et cetera. The room where the baby was to stay was clean.

"The family had attempted to clean the carpet but because it was in poor condition, Family Services asked that they remove the old carpet. The baby was allowed to return to the house near the end of February 2007."

She said Family Services had just learnt that the child resided with his father and paternal relatives during August.

The spokeswoman added: "Since your newspaper enquiry, Family Services has made several attempts to make contact with Auntie Em's daughter but with no luck.

"They have been to the home but no one has been there and the phone numbers they have on record are not working.

"Several messages have been left at the daughter's place of employment but contact has not been made.

"With respect to this latest enquiry, no family member is on record as having made any contact with Family Services."