A West Virginia duo face charges of child neglect and animal cruelty after authorities discovered a young child residing in a house filled with waste, insect infestations and decaying garbage, police said.
Dakota McIe, 23, and Ciarra Lacey, 22, were arrested following an investigation by the Upshur County Sheriff’s Office, as reported by CBS affiliate WDTV.
The investigation began on August 5 when a concerned witness provided deputies with video footage recorded inside the couple’s home. The caller told authorities that the residence lacked air conditioning, that part of the restroom was completely unusable and that the overwhelming odor inside induced nausea, according to WDTV.
When deputies executed a search warrant at the home, they observed conditions matching the video evidence.
Also in the home, animals were “confined inside a pen without visible food or water,” which showed the animals “standing and walking in accumulated urine,” deputies said.
Official court records state that animal feces covered the floor, including areas immediately next to the child’s bed and crib. Investigators also documented swarms of flies in the kitchen, human vomit inside the home and piles of rotting garbage.
Child Protective Services was called to the scene, and custody of the child was taken to a grandparent. Animal Control officers were also brought in to seize three dogs found locked in pens where urine had accumulated.
McIe posted a $5,000 bond on Aug. 11, while Lacey remains held at the Tygart Valley Regional Jail on a $30,000 cash-only bond.
