Authorities take TWO DAYS to reach hoarder with 31 cats after she died in her trash-filled home



Arizona deputies and a SWAT team have taken two days to reach a hoarder who died inside her debris- and faeces-filled home, where she lived with at least 31 feral cats.

Authorities had been called to check on Maria Elena Cimino, 65, at her house in Mesa on Tuesday, after neighbors had not seen the woman in a few days.

But when they arrived at the home, the rooms were so pungent and crammed with trash that they required goggles, breathing masks and protective clothing to pull her out.

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Daunting: Authorities donned protective gear to tackle Maria Elena Cimino's home after neighbours reported that they had not seen her in a few days. They found 31 cats at the home

Cimino was found dead inside from natural causes, although it was unclear how long she had been dead, authorities told KPHO-TV .

The search effort was forced to switch teams every 15 minutes due to triple-digit temperatures and heavy humidity inside the home, and paramedics were on hand.

'Unfortunately the woman that did pass was classified a hoarder, meaning her house is filled with just a whole bunch of stuff,' Sgt. Brandon Jones said. 'So it's very tight, very hard to get in.

'The gases built up inside is just so toxic, so noxious that you can't go in with just general respirators.'

Ready: After finding the house full of trash and temperatures reaching triple digits, a SWAT team was called in

Found: Eleven kittens were among the 31 feral cats. Two dead cats were also found inside the house

One neighbour told the news channel that she was aware of the horrendous conditions inside the house, but stressed Cimino had been a 'really nice lady'.

'She was a hoarder,' Susan Cordovanas said. 'So I think this made it harder for those sheriffs. [The conditions were] very bad, feces in the bathtub. Feces all over the house.'

She added: 'She was a really nice lady. I'd like people to know about that.'

At least 11 kittens lived at the home among the 31 feral cats; two adult cats were found dead.

Authorities battled to catch the animals among the debris before putting them in cardboard boxes to transfer them to the Arizona Humane Society’s Second Chance Hospital.

Chase: Authorities struggled to catch all the cats. The underweight animals were taken to an shelter

Challenge: Neighbours said they knew she was a hoarder and that there was feces all over the Arizona house

They were found to be severely underweight with upper respiratory infections and conjunctivitis, and were given food and water as they recovered.



They remain at the hospital as vets at the Humane Society decide which ones can be save, authorities said.



Neighbor Liva Butler added: 'She was a nice soul and, you know, who wants to be the bad cop and go turn her in?'

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CBS 5 - KPHO

