A New Jersey duo was arrested on animal cruelty and child endangerment charges after police found a 9-year-old kid living at their squalid home surrounded by dozens of dead foster dogs, according to police.
Investigators believe Brandon Leconey, 32, and Rebeccah Halbach, 35, were accepting money from animal rescue groups to care for the dogs, but instead would cash the checks and allow the animals to starve to death.
The sickening scene at their Evesham Township home was discovered by officers Monday after a witness reported seeing several malnourished and sick pooches around the property, police said.
After speaking with Leconey and Halbach, police found more than 30 dead canines inside of the home, which was in “despicable” condition.
Fourteen dogs were found still alive — nine of which had to be taken to a local animal hospital — as well as a “numerous” cats and rabbits.
One pooch had to be euthanized because it was in such poor health, police said.
Overall, as many as 100 dogs may have died in the home, with more buried on the property.
“There’s dogs in cages. Live dogs in cages, dead dogs in cages. Dead animals throughout the house,” Evesham Township Police Chief Walt Miller told WPVI.
“Behind the home there was also a burial spot where there was a large number of dogs in various levels of decay,” he added.
Living among the nauseating pet cemetery was a 9-year-old child who was removed from the home due to the unhealthy conditions.
The child is in custody of the New Jersey Division of Child Protection & Permanency, police said.
“It’s definitely concerning having a 9-year-old child living in this home, sleeping in this home, eating in this home,” Miller said.
Investigators had to open doors and windows to air out the home and reduce toxic gas levels before it was safe to enter the house, he told the outlet.
The child’s relationship to Leconey and Halbach was unclear.
Officials were tipped off to the home by a North Carolina animal rescue that had grown suspicious that the dogs it had sent to Halbach and Leconey to foster in exchange for payment were not being cared for, police told WPVI.
When a representative from Tender Mercies Pet Organization went to their home to check it out, they immediately called the police.
Tender Mercies said that two of its dogs are now back in its custody.
Leconey was booked at the Burlington County Jail pending a detention hearing. Halbach is undergoing a medical evaluation at a hospital for an unrelated medical condition, police said. She will be jailed once she is cleared for incarceration.
Police are searching the home for additional evidence.
Additionally, animal cruelty charges are expected to be filed once the actual number of dogs is determined.
