Police: 3 kids and 245 animals found living in ‘deplorable conditions’ in Edgewater Share Shares Copy Link Copy

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CLAIRE: THE HUSBAND, GREGG NELSON, IS IN POLICE CUSTODY. BUT AT THE HOSPITAL AFTER COMPLAINING OF CHEST PAINS. THE GIRLFRIEND, MELISSA HAMILTON JUST GOT BOOKED IN TODAY. SO ONLY THE WIFE, SUSAN NELSON, ACTUALLY MADE HER FIRST COURT APPEARANCE. ALL THREE ARE CHARGED WITH CHILD ABUSE AND ANIMAL CRUELTY. >> IT’S JUST HEARTBREAKING. CLAIRE: NEIGHBOR ASHLEY FOGG SAYS WHAT SHE SAW OUTSIDE THIS HOME ON ROYAL PALM DRIVE WAS BAD ENOUGH -- SICK-LOOKING ANIMALS RUNNING LOOSE -- BUT SAYS WHAT SHE HAS SINCE LEARNED WAS INSIDE IS A TRUE NIGHTMARE. THIS IS POLICE VIDEO OF THE HOME WHERE HUNDREDS OF ANIMALS, INCLUDING GUINEA PIGS, A HALF DOZEN DOGS AND CATS, A HEDGEHOG, RABBITS, HAMSTERS, REPTILES, BIRDS, AND MORE THAN 175 MICE AND RATS WERE LIVING WITH THE THREE ADULTS AND THREE CHILDREN, GIRLS, 10 AND YOUNGER. >> HOW CAN YOU CONSCIOUSLY SLEEP AT NIGHT KNOWING THAT THIS IS THE CONDITION YOU PUT YOU CHILD IN? IT’S NOT ACCEPTABLE. AS A PARENT, YOU FAIL, YOU GET A MAJOR F? >> ARE YOU SUSAN NELSON? >> I AM. CLAIRE: POLICE SAY THIS IS ONE OF THE PARENTS, 43-YEAR-OLD SUSAN NELSON, WHO, ALONG WITH HER HUSBAND, GREGG, AND THEIR GIRLFRIEND, 49-YEAR-OLD MELISSA HAMILTON, WERE LIVING IN THE HOUSE WITH THE CHILDREN AND ANIMALS. THEY SAY THE HOME REEKED OF URINE AND FECES, LITTERED WITH DEBRIS, ROTTING FOOD, AND FLIES. IN THE CHILDREN’S ROOM, POLICE SAY AN UPPER BUNK HAD NO MATTRESS AND GARBAGE WAS PILED ON THE FLOOR ANKLE DEEP. >> AS A MOTHER OF THREE, THAT WAS DEVASTATING, SEEING THE PICURES OF THE LITTLE GIRLS’ ROOM THIS MORNING, THAT THAT WAS THE CONDITIONS THEY WERE LIVING IN. >> THESE ARE ANGORA RABBITS THAT ARE OBVIOUSLY LOOKING BAD. CLAIRE: EDGEWATER ANIMAL SHELTER IS IN CHARGE OF THE ANIMALS, SOME STARVING, SOME SUFFERING WITH MANGE, ALL COVERED IN FLEAS. TWO GUINEA PIGS AND A NUMBER OF MICE HAVE ALREADY DIED. POLICE THINK THE ADULTS WERE BREEDING THE RATS AND MICE TO SELL TO SNAKE OWNERS. NEEDLESS TO SAY, THE SHELTER IS ASKING FOR DONATIONS TO HELP THEM WITH CARE. POLICE SAY THE CHILDREN WERE PLACED WITH A RESPONSIBLE FAMILY MEMBER. SUSAN NELSON, THE SUSPECT IN COURT TODAY, WAS RELEASED ON HER OWN RECOGNIZANCE TO PRETRIAL SUPERVISION, ALTHOUGH WE HAVEN’T SEEN HER LEAVE THE JAIL. THOUGH NEIGHBORS SAY THEY’VE BEEN COMPLAINING FOR YEARS, POLICE AND CITY OFFICIALS TELL US THERE HAVE ONLY BEEN THREE CALLS FOR SERVICE HERE SINCE 2018, AND OFFICIALS SAY THERE WAS NOTHING THAT WOULD HAVE

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