ILLINOIS -- A Cedar Lake couple has been charged in Lake Superior Court with five counts of neglect of a dependent and one count of misdemeanor animal cruelty after police found deplorable living conditions in their home.
Chad E. Delacruz (aka Chad Cruz), 30, and Nicole L. Delacruz (aka Nicole De La Cruz, Nikki Delacruz, Nicole Cruz), 29, of the 13400 block of Edison Street, are charged with placing their children, ranging from ages 3 to 10, in a situation that endangered their life or health, and with knowingly or intentionally neglecting three dogs and two rabbits, which were removed from the couple's home in mid-December.
The Lake County sheriff's department began investigating the couple on Dec. 12 after Patches, a black mixed-breed dog, for two days was seen eating out of garbage cans at a Citgo gas station at 133rd Avenue and Whitcomb Street in Cedar Lake before a Lake County Animal Control Center investigator picked him up.
An examination of Patches later revealed it had broken teeth, was about 20 pounds underweight, had sarcoptic mange and appeared to be depressed, according to court records.
The couple contacted the sheriff's department in attempts to get Patches back.
When Nicole Delacruz tried to claim the dog at the animal control center, staff noticed the children were wearing dirty clothing, smelled badly and also appeared to be victims of neglect, the probable caused affidavit states.
The sheriff's department gave the couple's attorney a list of conditions that had to be met before the dog could be returned to their custody.
Those conditions included allowing an investigator to see where Patches would be living.
On Dec. 16, an investigator for the Lake County sheriff's department animal control visited the couple's home and reported that the living conditions were deplorable for humans and animals. They found what appeared to be feces on the driveway and sidewalk leading to the house, the yard filled with garbage and a broken-down car, and a strong odor or urine and feces inside the house.
That prompted police to search the home the next day.
After obtaining a search warrant, investigators went to the home Dec. 17, where they found fleas were jumping from the carpet, which was covered with clothes, children's toys, remnants of food and garbage, and other filth, including apparent animal feces and urine, court records state.
The odor was so bad that officers could only stay in the residence for a short time before having to step outside for fresh air, records state.
The dog that had been eating garbage was about 20 pounds underweight, had numerous broken teeth and medical conditions that included sarcoptic mange (this is the contagious kind), records state.
Three rabbits were living in their own feces in two separate cages, with no food or water. The cages appeared not to have been cleaned in quite some time, records state.
There were two cats inside the home, but repeated attempts over several hours to capture the animals were unsuccessful as they climbed into holes in the walls and under furniture and objects littering the residence. The cats had to be left inside the home.
Two dogs and three rabbits were taken to the Highland Animal Hospital for examination, records state.
Police also found no working lights in either bedroom.
A German shepherd dog in a crate on one of the bedrooms was described as emaciated, with patches of missing fur and sores on its coat.
Investigators also documented lockable "gates" in the doorway of each bedroom, which they think may have been used to keep children inside the rooms, records state.
There was also half of a solid door at the hallway entrance, which could be secured so no children or animals could leave the hallway or bedrooms and possibly creating a deadly situation should the residence catch fire, records state.
The Indiana Department of Child Services was called on the scene to take custody of the couple's five children, according to the affidavit.
Court records indicate that Lake Superior Court Judge Thomas Stefaniak Jr., conducted hearing on Dec. 21 and found probable cause to keep the children in the custody of the Indiana Department of Child Services.
(Chicago Tribune - Jan 8, 2016)
