Glenys Kupfer will be sentenced in the Adelaide Magistrates Court next month for neglecting her four children

Excrement on the floor, rotting food and dirty beds were found by police when they investigated a meth-addicted mother raising four children.

A meth-addicted mother had the house where she was raising her children in squalid conditions, including rotting food in the fridge and excrement on the floor.

Glenys Kupfer, 34, will be sentenced next month for the serious neglect of her four young sons.

Scott Mesecke, prosecuting, told the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Wednesday that police attended Kupfer’s Blair Athol residence on March 1, 2019.

Kupfer’s four sons, who were aged eight, three, two and one at the time, were present.

“Police noticed that the premises were dishevelled and unkempt … there were not enough beds for all of the children in the house,” he said.

“The beds that were present were dirty and not covered with appropriate bedding material.”

The court heard the two youngest children were naked.

“Police did notice that there was excrement on the floor of the premises – in the kitchen, the bathroom and the lounge room,” Mr Mesecke said.

Glenys Kupfer leaving Adelaide Magistrates court where she was found guilty of four counts of failing to care for her four children. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Naomi Jellicoe

“The fridge was in working order but it didn’t have any food in it, other than eggs which were rotting in the carton.”

The court heard the house received a score of 22 out of 30 on the squalor assessment scale, with 30 being the most squalid condition a house can be in.

“Ms Kupfer agreed with police that the premise was in a squalid state, she told police she was a single parent and she was having trouble coping with four young children,” Mr Mesecke said.

The court heard police re-attended Kupfer’s house in June and noted the house was clean.

“There was fresh food in the refrigerator and Ms Kupfer appeared much more calm and controlled,” Mr Mesecke said.

Kupfer, of Hectorville, had previously pleaded guilty to four counts of failing to provide necessary food, clothing or accommodation to her children.

Glenys Kupfer will be sentenced next month. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Naomi Jellicoe

Edward Stratton-Smith, for Kupfer, told the court she accepted that she did not prioritise her children like she should have.

“In the lead up to this offending, the defendant was a user of methamphetamine,” he said.

“In the last few months prior to the police attendance, her use became very heavy.”

The court heard Kupfer has not touched drugs recently.

“What didn’t help the drug use was the defendant trying to deal with the grief of losing her brother – he was killed in quite violent circumstances and she was present for his death,” Mr Stratton-Smith said.

“Taking drugs was one way to escape from that.”

The court heard Kupfer, who is a mother-of-six, is currently undergoing rehabilitation programs.

“That whole life is really behind her … she’s a very different person,” Mr Stratton-Smith said.

“A conviction for neglecting your own children is a very serious thing and that by itself brings a great deal of shame to the defendant.”

Magistrate Nick Alexandrides will sentence Kupfer next month.