An animal-cruelty mission in Henry County turned out to be even more heartbreaking as deputies discovered a toddler living inside a dog cage in horrific conditions.
Authorities went to the home after receiving an anonymous tip about possible animal cruelty. Little did they expect to find a human child in deplorable living conditions. Henry County Sheriff Monte Belew said that a one-and-a-half-year-old boy was found in a 4×4 cage in the living room. He did not have any toys or blankets.
“Everything that child possessed or played with was in that kennel,” Belew said. “With all of the law enforcement experience up here, it’s hard to find something that actually shocks us,” he said. “I’ve never seen this before, and I can guarantee the gentlemen up here with me have never seen this before.”
What officials discovered seemed to go from bad to worse. Numerous animals (more than 600!) were also found in horrendous living conditions. Belew said three buckets filled with hundreds of mice were propped up next to the boy’s cage.
There was a 10-foot boa constrictor just three feet to the left. They found at least eight snakes in the room. 15-20 dogs were found running loose, along with feces on the floor. The place was described as “unlivable” and there were thousands of cockroaches and maggots.
According to Taphaps:
In all, “6 chickens and roosters, 56 dogs, 10 rabbits, 4 parakeets, 3 cats, 8 snakes, a pheasant, and a gecko” were seized by authorities, along with 17 guns, including an AR-15 rifle, the NY Post reported. However, according to Fox 17, there were also 531 mice, hamsters, and rats, and one of the dogs went into labor shortly after being discovered. The outlet also said there were actually 86 chickens and roosters total, as well as 3 sugar gliders and 127 marijuana plants on the property.
After TJ Brown, Heather Scarbrough, and Charles Brown were all hit with a number of charges, including aggravated child abuse, aggravated cruelty to animals, possession of a firearm while committing another felony, manufacturing marijuana, and possession of drug paraphernalia, according to Fox 17, their defense argued that the boy was placed in the kennel for his own good.
Sheriff Monte Belew recalled the incident to reporters at a press conference on Friday morning. He and his team knew something was awry as soon as they stepped into the property and had to “weave” their way through debris, grass, and multiple animals to get to the front door.
“As I looked through the front door, I can see a child in a dog kennel,” he recalled. “Obviously, (by) the looks of the kennel, you could tell the child stays in there a lot.” The 10-foot snake “could’ve easily suffocated that child if it got a chance,” he said. “I can’t believe people could actually survive and live in these unlivable conditions,” Belew said.
The boy appeared to be starving and was soon sent to the state department of children’s services.
Watch the video report below for more details:
According to The Sun, the investigation remains ongoing and each defendant has a $300,000 bond. Although the child was found in terrible circumstances and a dangerous environment it seems there were no immediate signs of physical injuries. The Department of Child Services now has custody of the child.
“We are in an ongoing investigation in the northern part of the county involving child abuse, large-scale animal abuse and a marijuana grow operation,” Sheriff Monte Belew said.
I hope the little child is given a good home to grow up in. I also hope all the animals, dogs, cats, and others are ok and find a good home to.
Burn the home to the ground and put these freaks in jail for 20 years.