An eight-month-old baby has been saved from shocking conditions, after police officers uncovered a scene regarded as one of the most disturbing they’d ever encountered
At a property search by horrified police officers, a goat carcass rotted in the bathtub, while over 40 animals roamed the house. Meanwhile, right in the middle of the chaos, an eight-month-old baby lived amongst them.
That’s what authorities found inside a South Carolina home, now being described as one of the most disturbing scenes ever witnessed by officers. Kayla Renard and Nicholas Foley were arrested after police were alerted by the Department of Social Services, which had growing concerns for the child’s well-being.
“During our investigation, we uncovered severe, unsafe and unsanitary conditions that put the infant at risk,” authorities said. The child was removed and placed with a relative after police conducted a criminal history check.
Inside the home, the smell was “overwhelming”, and the floors were covered in animal waste. In a Facebook post, Honea Path Police revealed, “Officers found the residence infested with numerous animals, including raccoons, rabbits, dogs, cats, chickens, and deceased animals. Animal faeces and waste are throughout the residence.”
Police said they had seen nothing like this. “In my 30-plus years of service, I have never encountered such a horrific situation involving unsanitary conditions and such a large number of animals,” they added.
41 live animals were found at the property, including 25 dogs, three cats, five raccoons, six chickens, and two rabbits. The distressing scene led officers to contact Dr. Kim Sanders from PAWS for help.
According to PAWS, the animals were in a devastating state, and were found to be “severely dehydrated, covered in faeces, and the majority of them were extremely emaciated.” Six dead animals were also discovered, including a baby goat in a Tupperware bin found in the kitchen.
Describing the atmosphere inside the home, Kim recalled: “The ammonia burned our eyes.” She added: “The home was unfit for any living creature, let alone an eight-month-old baby girl.”
While the animals are now in safe hands and receiving medical care, Kim admitted that the emotional trauma they endured will take longer to heal. “All of the animals are undergoing medical care and are expected to recover at this time. The emotional trauma they sustained will be a bigger challenge to overcome,” she said.
The arrested couple have since been charged with unlawful conduct toward a child, ill treatment of animals, and violations of city ordinances.
But what shocked officers even more was how the pair reacted. According to Chief Christopher Miller, there was no remorse.
“Sitting there, calm and really no emotion. No facial expressions,” he said. “You would think that they’d be a little upset that someone was taking their eight-month-old baby, that the police were there and discovered the horrific conditions of this house.”
“You would think that they would have to know that they were in trouble,” he added.
Kayla and Nicholas were both handed $10,000 surety bonds – Nicholas has since posted bail.
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