Child Found In Home Filled With Animal Feces, 300 Rats ‘Roaming Freely’: Police

A 38-year-old woman in Citrus County, Florida, has been arrested after a child was found living among hundreds of animals, including more than 300 rats, in “deplorable” conditions, police said.

The woman, identified as Shannon Marie Morgan, was arrested on 12 counts of animal cruelty and one count of child neglect, according to a news release from the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO). It was not clear how she and the child were related.

Morgan’s bond was set at $26,000.

Deputies with the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office responded to a home in Beverly Hills, Florida, Wednesday evening after receiving an animal cruelty complaint.

Upon arriving at the residence, deputies were “overwhelmed” by the smell of ammonia, the news release stated. They said the “build-up” of fecal matter, urine, trash, dirty dishes and rotten food in the house resulted in an infestation of flies and cockroaches, according to the sheriff’s office.

Authorities said they observed several cages and glass aquariums containing snakes and rodents inside the home, as well as cats and rats running between rooms, according to the news release.

According to the CCSO, one room was filled with about 50 rats in cages, with over 300 more “roaming freely.”

“It was blatantly obvious; these animals were deprived of all their basic necessities,” police said.

In another room, deputies found a dog and a ferret in cages. They said the cage of the dog was “entirely too small,” while the cage of the ferret was dirty. Both animals did not have food or water at the time, the sheriff’s office said.

Deputies found the child in a third bedroom filled with trash, “where even the mattress was covered with roaches.” The floor was reportedly covered in blood from where cats killed a rat.

“Abuse of any kind should not be tolerated,” Citrus County Sheriff Mike Prendergast said in a statement. “The conditions of this residence and the animals in this case were so bad, sheriff’s office personnel were cautioned about making entry.”

He continued, “Neither children nor animals should ever endure this type of environment. It is crucial that our citizens report any possible signs of child or animal neglect. Our animal control officers, deputies and crime scene specialists once again have done a phenomenal job.”

CCSO animal control officers removed seven cats, one dog and one ferret from the house. The residence was secured for further investigation and for the removal of the other remaining animals.

Authorities did not provide an update on the condition of the child.