A Plattsmouth couple is being charged with multiple counts of child abuse and animal neglect following a visit from an officer to their unsanitary residence.
42-year-old David Reynolds and Amanda Reynolds have been charged with seven counts each by prosecutors. Court records reveal the charges of abuse towards three children and four rabbits at their Plattsmouth home.
A police officer visited the residence on the morning of July 26 following a report from the Department of Health and Human Services. The report revealed that the residence had unsanitary living conditions caused by the presence of animal waste. Additionally, it was claimed that there were over 40 chickens residing on the premises.
During the officer’s initial visit, they discovered David sleeping in his vehicle, leading the department to suspect that he was trying to avoid the conditions inside his home. David explained to the officer that he had been patiently staying in the vehicle, assuming that his children were peacefully asleep inside.
David allowed the officer to enter the home after a brief conversation about the purpose of the visit. Upon entering, the officer detected a strong smell of feces and urine. According to an arrest affidavit, the floors of the home were covered in animal feces, and there was a significant amount of trash and clothing scattered about. The officer noted that several items on the floor had been urinated on.
As he made his way through the home, he noticed a number of dogs and cats residing inside. According to prosecutors, the officer requested that David wake up his children, only to discover a floor littered with feces and garbage as they made their way to their rooms.
There were strips of fly paper hanging from the ceiling throughout the house, and the officer noticed an abundance of it in one particular child’s room. According to the affidavit, every piece was found to be “completely covered with dead insects.” According to court records, the bedroom walls were found to be infested with insects and covered in filth.
The child had very limited space to lie on in their bed due to the garbage covering the rest of it. The officer described the scene as a massive pile of garbage that extended from the bed to almost reaching the ceiling.
Both individuals were arraigned in Cass County Court on Tuesday. Each of them was granted a personal recognizance bond of $10,000 by the judge. The bond is a legal contract that allows individuals to secure their release from jail by promising to pay the court a specified amount.
Both individuals were released from the Cass County jail later on Tuesday. It remains uncertain whether the three children have been taken out of the residence.