CARLISLE, Pa. (WHTM) -
Police said they arrested two Cumberland County people on child endangerment and animal cruelty charges after they found them living in a filthy home with a two-year-old boy and two neglected dogs.
Aaron Shirk and Katherine Swavola, both 32, of 115 Tower Circle, were sent to the county prison on $5,000 bail. Swavola later posted bail and was released.
North Middletown Township police said they were expecting to find drugs when they served a search warrant at the home Wednesday.
In addition to marijuana and drug paraphernalia, however, police said they discovered a kitchen floor covered in urine and fecal matter, the sticky floors of the home covered in trash that included dirty diapers and old food, and a marijuana pipe on a living room table within the child's reach.
Both dogs appeared in ill health, with matted fur on a 10-year-old golden retriever and ribs showing on what appeared to be a lab/pitbull mix, police said.
The child's bedroom was piled with toys, boxes and debris, police said.
It was unclear what relation Shirk and Swavola had to the child, but District Attorney Dave Freed said the boy is now in the care of other family members.
"Obviously
there is a lot of leeway for parents in our society to raise their
children the way they want, but when you see a residence that's like
this, that everybody just looking at it knows is inappropriate, that's
where we're going to step in," Freed said.
The dogs were taken by the Humane Society.
According to charging documents, Shirk and Swavola told police the home has been the same since they moved in last October because Shirk "is messy."
Aaron Shirk
Katherine Swavola
