A strong odor emanating from a home in the Fountains at Moorpark apartment complex led authorities to take two children into protective custody on Tuesday.

The city's building and safety department red-tagged the unit because it was filthy, said Capt. Ron Nelson of the Moorpark Police.

A mother and her two children, ages 6 and 11, occupied the apartment in the complex at the intersection of Moorpark Road and Los Angeles Avenue.

The home was uninhabitable, according to police, and the children are now in the care of Child Protective Services.

Authorities were alerted of the problem when a neighbor called the fire department to complain about the strong odor.

"It was definitively a very odorous situation; they thought there might be a body in there," Nelson said.

Access to homes and business can be restricted when substandard conditions exist, said Mario Riley, code compliance officer for Moorpark. He said he could not provide details about the case, but noted that he's encountered simiconditions in his 19 years of employment with the city.

When a property is red-tagged, it cannot be occupied until it's cleaned up, he said.

A structure is deemed unfit for occupancy if it's in serious disrepair, unsafe structurally, or unsanitary.

The apartment at the Fountains complex was filled with trash and leftovers.

"But the kids didn't appear malnourished; it was just a dirty and unsafe household for them to be in," Nelson said.

Authorities are continuing their investigation into the situation, Nelson said.

—Sylvie Belmond