A West Virginia couple was arrested for keeping a child and three dogs inside a “repulsive” home infested with insects and littered with trash and waste, according to authorities.
Dakota McIe, 23, and Ciarra Lacey, 22, are facing charges of animal abuse and child neglect after a concerned witness gave cops a video showing the interior of the fetid residence Aug. 5.
The “repulsive” home was littered with animal feces, human vomit and piles of trash — including in the vicinity of where the child slept, according to records reviewed by CBS affiliate WDTV.
Huge swarms of flies hovered in the kitchen, orbiting heaps of rotting food and garbage strewn about the home, leaving an odor that left the witness nauseated.
The residence did not have air conditioning, and a portion of its bathroom was unusable, records show.
Investigators also found three dogs confined to urine-stinking cages “without visible food or water,” Upshur County Sheriff’s deputies said, noting animal control was summoned to seize the animals.
Child Protective Services was also called, and the youngster, whose age and sex were not immediately known, was placed in the custody of a grandparent.
Lacey remains in custody at Tygart Valley Regional Bail on a $30,000 cash-only bond; McIe was released Aug. 11 after posting his $5,000 bond.
