Thirty-one animals, three children removed from home
Palm Coast, FL (US)

Incident Date: Sunday, Aug 28, 2011
County: Flagler

Disposition: Alleged

Alleged: Theresa Anne Martone

A Palm Coast mother is accused of neglecting her three children and 31 animals -- cats, dogs, ferrets and a rabbit.

Theresa Anne Martone, 35, was arrested late Sunday afternoon after Flagler County sheriff's investigators and Palm Coast Animal Control, assisting with a state Department of Children & Families investigation, found the children, ages 5 to 14, and the animals "living in conditions which could cause multiple health hazards."

The children and animals were removed from the home.

The houses along the Reid Place cul-de-sac where Martone and her children and animals lived are generally well kept. Martone's is an exception.

A sour stench emanated through the closed doors of the house Monday morning. Inside, the windows were peppered with flies. A basket of dirty laundry sat in front of the garage door. Christmas lights lay on the front door stoop and children's bikes were strewn about the lawn.

One neighbor, who asked not to be identified, said her new next-door neighbor of a month mowed Martone's lawn because she hadn't done it.

Neighbor Eric Lyublinsky knew Martone had the dogs and said the quiet street, at times, resembled a dog park when all the neighbors were out.

"I never saw any cats," he said. "The kids were always running around. The boys were thin, but thin like they are always active. They looked like healthy kids."

The investigation into Martone's household stemmed from a report of a "very bad smell," said DCF spokesman Clay LaRoche.

"Whenever there's a case of a potential environmental hazard, we have law enforcement assist us," LaRoche said.

Feces, dirt and piles of garbage were found throughout the entire house, according to a sheriff's report, as well as "swarms" of flies and other bugs.

Martone's 5-year-old daughter told investigators she hadn't bathed in several days, possibly weeks, the report states.

"This place was a real mess," LaRoche said. "The children have been placed with relatives and we're going to have them seen by physicians. They don't appear to be in poor health, but we want to make sure."

Court records show Martone was charged with a misdemeanor in November 2010 for failing to have her children attend school. One son, now 8, missed 41 days of elementary school. Her middle-school aged son missed 31 days of school.

"Truancy issues are usually addressed by the school," LaRoche said. "It may become an issue for us at some point in time, though."

Palm Coast Animal Control Officer Mark Ballard said the animals were "in fairly good condition" and that concern for them was primarily because of the filthy living conditions.

"A couple of them had skin conditions but none of them were (overly) thin," Ballard said. "Of the cats, eight were orange tabbies and 14 were black tabbies. Four were kittens."

Jef Hale, director of the Flagler County Humane Society, said Martone voluntarily signed over her animals, including five dogs, 23 cats, two ferrets and a rabbit.

"They are now our property," Hale said by phone Monday. "I haven't seen them so I don't know what condition they are in or if they are adoptable."

Martone was booked into the Flagler County Inmate Facility where she remained without bail late Monday.

References

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