Parents in Pennsylvania have been charged with endangering the welfare of a child and several counts of animal cruelty after police discovered "deplorable" conditions in their home in Westmoreland County in August 2023. James and Kathleen Chaney's 14-year-old son, known in court documents as LC, lived among nearly 80 animals in a home without running water. The smell emitting from the home was reported to be so putrid that officers could hardly stand to be inside.
Authorities arrived at the Penn Township home on August 14, after a call from humane officers asking for backup, according to CBS News. The home was allegedly so filthy an officer from child welfare services called the conditions unlivable for humans, particularly a child. LC was reportedly removed from the house as officials began the daunting task of caring for the dozens of sick and injured animals that were there.
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An animal welfare volunteer first noticed the animals outside the family's home.
Cassie Wilson, who volunteers with the rescue group All but Furgotten, observed animals living in filthy conditions outside the home on Ashbaugh Road prior to police arriving on the scene, per a criminal complaint obtained by HuffPost. Wilson told HuffPost she could see the house was coated in urine and feces and had a horrific smell, sharing that "everybody going in there was just in complete shock."
After entering the home, police officers reportedly contacted the boy's mother.
CBS News reported officers contacted Kathleen Chaney, 59, who was at work and allegedly refused to come home. She reportedly told police she and her husband, 52, cared for the animals, but he lived in another county.
Per court documents, LC appeared "disheveled" and was wearing dirty clothes that smelled of feces and urine.
According to the complaint, responding officer Robert Broome remarked, "The smell of ammonia was so bad that it actually was burning the inside of my nasal cavity and my eyes," he said, according to CBS News. "The specific conditions inside the residence were the worst I have experienced in my 15 years as a law enforcement officer and over 20 years as a first responder."
The animals on the property were extremely sick.
Authorities removed 46 dogs and 23 cats, among other animals, from the property, TribLive reported. They were treated for fleas, worms, and a slew of other health conditions. Many of the animals had no access to food or water and were living in their own filth. In addition to the sick animals, a dog, bird, snake, and four chickens were found dead on the property.
Officials condemned the home.
At the time of the rescue, township officials condemned the home and deemed it unfit for human occupancy, TribLive reported. Jenn Johnson, president of Ninth Life Rescue Center, aided in the rescue and recalled the horrifying conditions to HuffPost.
"There were feces and urine covering the house. Animals in cages locked in bedrooms. There was a deceased dog laying in the bathroom, chickens that were dead in a pen outside ― it was a rough day," she said.
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It is unclear what will happen next.
Neighbor Bill Monstrola, who initially called humane officers, told WPXI the home never looked like a happy place. "It's always been pretty deplorable conditions. They often left animals that they had outside, in these kinds of circumstances with the weather below zero, short leashes, no water, no bedding," he said.
Monstrola wants justice for the boy and the animals. When asked by WPXI if he hoped that the couple would serve time, he replied, "I hope they'll do something."
James and Kathleen Chaney have been charged, but it doesn't appear that they have been arrested, and no court date was set, according to HuffPost.
