Hoarding - 250 animals seized, 41 found dead
Highland, IN (US)

Incident Date: Monday, Jun 30, 1997
County: Lake

Disposition: Convicted

Defendant/Suspect: Celeste A. Siurek

Siurek served jail time after police removed an estimated 250 animals from her father's home at 3651 43rd St.  41 animals were found dead and some were covered in mold.

Siurek's father who suffered from Alzheimers was placed in a nursing home at the request of county authorites.

Siurek reportedly spent more than $100,000 to refurbish the home.  Once the home was inspected and found to be fit, she moved back in and was able to regain custody of some of the animals.

Siurek, a microbiologist, was teaching at Indiana University Northwest and working as a lab technician at St. Margarets Mercy Healthcare Center when she was jailed.  The charges were made against her after neighbors reportedly found her Alzheimer's stricken father wandering the street wearing only a diaper and a shirt.  An official from the Adult Protective Services, a division of the Lake County prosecutor's office, said that if Siurek hadn't placed her father in the Dyer nursing facility he would have to court to prevent the man from being placed back in the home.

References

• Northwest Indiana News

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