Law enforcement officials arrested a pregnant woman after they discovered her 2-year-old boy unresponsive and with signs of abuse. The mother and boy were found inside of her filthy home along with numerous of dead and dying animals.
The incident occurred on Tuesday evening when deputies responded to a report in a Gray Court, South Carolina, home, according to Fox Carolina.
There they discovered the boy as well as his mother Savanah Victoria Morgan, 25. Bruises covered the boy on his face, neck, and back. He was also unresponsive.
The mother told deputies that the boy choked while eating chips. However, authorities say she changed her story and told them that she dropped the toddler.
Along with the boy, authorities also discovered the home was littered in trash and feces as well as a variety of dead and dying animals inside of containers.
“I’ve never seen anything like it in my 20 years doing this,” said Lt. Scott Franklin.
When Animal Control arrived they took care of roughly 90 animals. The animals included cats, dogs, rodents, reptiles, as well as tarantulas.
The dead animals included six spiders, 10 pythons, and 48 rats as well as others.
Authorities also discovered two other children, ages 1 and 2, living in the home.
The unresponsive 2-year-old boy was airlifted to the Greenville Memorial Hospital where he remains in intensive care. His condition is improving as of Thursday, according to Laurens County Sheriff’s Office.
The other two children have been taken in by the Department of Social Services.
Deputies arrested the mother, who is 8 months pregnant, and say that she will face charges of animal cruelty as well as others.
Her bond has been set at $50,000 for child abuse to inflict great bodily injury, as well as $10,000 for every child neglect charge, and $5,000 for animal cruelty. Her total bond comes to $65,000, according to Greenville Online.
She is not allowed to contact her children without the approval of Social Services if and when she is released on bond. She is also forbidden from owning any animal until the case is through.
According to the judge, the 2-year-old boy is “looking at a major road to recovery.”
“Most of our officers probably were faced with something last night that they probably have not seen in their careers,” Laurens Sheriff Ricky Chastain said. “It was a very sad situation to see something like this.”
The 2-year-old’s father has been cooperating with police, but could face charges.
Source: FOX, Greenville Online
Photo Credit: Laurens Co. Detention Center
