Hoarding - 29 animals, 2 children seized Taft, CA (US) Incident Date: Tuesday, Apr 24, 2007 County: Kern Local Map: available Disposition: Alleged Alleged: » Dena Wienecke » Gary Lee Heath

Case ID: 11336 Classification: Hoarding Animal: cat, dog (non pit-bull), rabbit (pet) View more cases in CA (US) Child or elder neglect Login to Watch this Case

Two adults were arrested on felony child endangerment charges and two children taken into protective custody Tuesday after Child Protective Services found them living in a house full of garbage, rotten food, sick animals and animal waste.

Dena Wienecke, 33, and Gary Lee Heath, 46, were both charged with felony child endangerment and misdemeanor animal neglect charges. Wienecke was also charged with possession of less than an ounce of marijuana, a misdemeanor.

Both were booked into Taft jail and were scheduled to appear in Taft Branch of Superior Court on Wednesday, Sgt. Pete Aranda said.

The sergeant said officers were called to the house Tuesday morning after Child Protective Services visited the home and found two children, a boy aged six and a seven-year-old girl, living in the home.

CPS took the children into protective custody and the adults were arrested by police.

"The kids actually appeared pretty healthy, which is surprising for the conditions they were living in," Aranda said.

He said there were rotting cat feces throughout the house.

Animal control officers and code enforcement officials were called to the home. They donned breathing masks and proactive clothing before entering the house to remove the animals.

Ten cats, two dogs and a rabbit were removed on Tuesday and 16 more cats were taken out of the home Wednesday morning.

City animal control officers were assisted by Kern County in catching and transporting the animals.

Most of the cats were sick or emaciated, officers said.

A small kitten lay dead on the walkway to the house when officer went back Wednesday.

Firefighters were called to assist with power fans to ventilate the home.

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References

Taft Midway Driller - April 27, 2007

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