A New Jersey man and lady each face youngster neglect and animal cruelty prices after investigators discovered a boy residing in deplorable situations and decided greater than 100 dogs died at their home.
Rebecca Halbach, 35, and Brandon Leconey, 32, of Evesham Township, had been each arrested and charged with endangering the welfare of a kid and animal cruelty.
Investigators stated a nonprofit group primarily based in North Carolina gave a number of foster dogs to Halbach and Leconey in addition to money to assist them look after the animals. A member of the group grew to become suspicious nevertheless after they observed one of many foster dogs had died.
“That one of many dogs that was given of their care had died and that they had been attempting to move off one other canine because the canine that he was searching for,” Evesham Police Chief Walt Miller stated. “He knew that wasn’t the canine. So that prompted us to research.”
The group member visited the couple’s home on the 600 block of Main Street and observed extra suspicious exercise, investigators stated. He then reported the couple to police, who arrived on the home on Monday at 2:45 p.m.
Responding officers discovered greater than 30 lifeless dogs in numerous phases of decay, 14 residing dogs and several other cats and rabbits contained in the property, in accordance with police.
“There’s dogs in cages. Live dogs in cages. Dead dogs in cages. Dead animals all through the home,” Chief Miller stated.
Investigators imagine the dogs died from malnourishment.
A 9-year-old boy was additionally discovered contained in the home and eliminated as a result of unhealthy situations, investigators stated. The youngster is within the care of the New Jersey Division of Child Protection & Permanency (DCP&P).
Chief Miller stated the boy gave the impression to be wholesome although the deplorable situations he was residing in was a serious trigger for concern.
“It’s undoubtedly regarding having a 9-year-old youngster residing on this home, sleeping on this home, consuming on this home,” Chief Miller stated.
Police stated 9 of the residing dogs had been taken to the Mt. Laurel Animal Hospital, with a number of of them in extraordinarily poor well being. One of the dogs was euthanized, officers stated. The different dogs can be transported to an animal shelter as soon as they get well.
The cats and rabbits are additionally being taken to animal shelters.
After executing a search warrant on the property, police discovered the our bodies of a number of extra dogs in an open gap within the floor that was lined with a tarp, Chief Miller stated.
Investigators decided as many as 100 dogs died on the home over time.
“I’ve been doing this for 27 years and I’ve seen prior circumstances involving animal abuse and animal cruelty. I’ve by no means seen something like this,” Chief Miller stated.
Leconey was lodged within the Burlington County Jail whereas Halbach was being evaluated on the hospital for an unrelated medical situation, officers stated. Halbach can be lodged in jail as soon as she is cleared for incarceration. They will stay in custody pending a detention listening to on the Burlington County Superior Court.
Officials stated the investigation is ongoing and extra prices can be filed. They are attempting to contact some other people or animal shelters who could have supplied foster dogs for the suspects.
Anyone with extra info on the investigation, together with anybody who supplied animals to the suspects, ought to name the Evesham Police Department at 856-983-1116. You can even contact the confidential tip line at 856-983-4699 or electronic mail [email protected]. You can even ship nameless suggestions by texting ETPDTIP to 847411.
