“We smelled some foul smells every once in a while,” said Bridget Heath, a woman whose property borders Scott-Kirchen's.
Heath had always associated the smell with what she believed was a chicken farm down the road from her. However it's what was discovered at 408 Ballard Road that may have been what caused the smell. According to a Garland County Sheriff's report, investigators found three dogs and one horse dead on the property. On Monday, horses remained on the property evidently emaciated. The dogs are believed to be in the custody of Hot Springs Animal Control.
The Sheriff's report stated Kirchen didn't even know where the food was stored for the animals. “I asked [Kirchen] to show me the food and water for his animals and he couldn't,” cites the report.
In total 13 dogs and 14 horses were deemed to have been starved.
“We didn't even know there was that many animals back there. We thought maybe four or five dogs and four to six horses,” said Heath, commenting her and her family had been living next door for the last five years.
But according to the Sheriff's report, the 27 animal aggravated animal cruelty charges don't just stem from the starvation alone. The report cites dogs with visible sores, matted fur and injuries, horses urinating liquid that didn't appear to be urine. Investigators found one dog dead inside a home on the property with maggots covering it.
“Mr. Scott-Kirchen made a spontaneous statement that the dead dog got into a fight with another and it got killed. Also he said it had been days since the dog was killed and it had been decaying inside the home,” cites the report.
“It's very disgusting that there's dead animals right behind my house,” said Heath.
Not only disgusting, but unconscionable for Heath who takes care of her own cattle. “We have a lot of animals and we take care of every single one of them,” commented Heath.
Kirchen remains in a Garland County jail cell Monday night on a $67,500 bond.
(KATV - Sept 22, 2014)
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