- Police discovered 245 animals in a home while performing a wellness check on three minors in in Edgewater, Florida.
- In total, there were four dogs, two cats, nine live guinea pigs, 12 rabbits, four hamsters, 10 sugar gliders, 14 birds, a gecko, a tortoise, a hedgehog, seven bearded dragons, a leopard-spotted gecko, 95 mice, and 60 adult rats with 23 babies, police said in a statement.
- Officer Anthony Binz, who performed the wellness check, reported that he saw caged flea-infested animals, both dead and alive, sitting in their own feces and without food or water, he wrote in a narrative included in the charging documents.
- Three adults — Melissa Hamilton, Greg Nelson and Susan Nelson — were arrested over the weekend and charged with three counts of child abuse and 66 counts of animal cruelty.
- Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.
Police discovered 245 animals in a home while performing a wellness check on three minors in in Edgewater, Florida.
A variety of animals — including cats, dogs, geckos, sugar gliders, a tortoise, and 95 mice — were found in "deplorable living conditions," as rotting food, animal feces and urine covered the ground, which was also strewn with garbage and debris.
In total, there were four dogs, two cats, nine live guinea pigs, 12 rabbits, four hamsters, 10 sugar gliders, 14 birds, a gecko, a tortoise, a hedgehog, seven bearded dragons, a leopard-spotted gecko, 95 mice, and 60 adult rats with 23 babies, police said in a statement.
Three adults — Melissa Hamilton, Greg Nelson and Susan Nelson — were arrested over the weekend and charged with three counts of child abuse and 66 counts of animal cruelty, Edgewater police said in the statement.
According to the charging affidavit obtained by The Washington Post, Gregg Nelson was in a relationship with his wife, Susan, and live-in girlfriend, Hamilton. Gregg wanted to end his relationship with them both and take his three daughters with him, but his wife protested it, so he requested a wellness check, The Post reported.
Read more: A group of researchers suggest 'animal hoarders' may actually have a mental illness
Officer Anthony Binz, who performed the wellness check, reported that he saw caged flea-infested animals, both dead and alive, sitting in their own feces and without food or water, he wrote in a narrative included in the charging documents.
Binz described the home as "the absolute worst residence" he had visited in his entire time as an officer due to the "overwhelming odor of ammonia [and] animal hoarding."
According to the affidavit, Susan Nelson told Binz that "her home was a mess and that she was in the process of cleaning it and re-homing the animals," The Post reported.
The three minors — ages 7, 9, and 10 — were taken to live with a family member, and the living animals were taken to a local animal shelter, where they were treated for a myriad of conditions, including dehydration, The Post reported.
Some animals died in transit to the shelter, and two guinea pigs died while being treated, Renee Sortman, Edgewater Animal Shelter administrative assistant, told The Post.
Susan Nelson is being held without bond at Volusia County Branch Jail, while Gregg Nelson remains in police custody after he was taken to the hospital for chest pains. Hamilton was taken to a different facility after attempting to commit suicide by consuming 17 Xanax pills.
Join the conversation about this story »