Couple arrested for animal cruelty, child endangerment after 30 dead dogs found in NJ home

EVESHAM, N.J. – Two people were charged with child endangerment and animal cruelty after police found a child in a New Jersey home with over 30 dead dogs and said they believe as many as 100 dogs may have died there.

Rebecca Halbach, 35, and Brandon Leconey, 32, were arrested Aug. 28 in Evesham, a suburb of Philadelphia, after officers were called for a report of suspected animal cruelty, where they found the bodies of the deceased dogs and multiple other sick and malnourished dogs.

A witness reported seeing many dogs that appeared to be ill, according to a news release from Evesham police.

A 9-year-old boy was placed in the care of the New Jersey Division of Child Protection and Permanency because of the reportedly unhealthy conditions.

"I've never seen anything like this," Evesham Police Chief Walt Miller said at a news conference.

More than 100 dogs may have died in the home

Officers found more than 30 dead dogs throughout the home, 14 dogs living in the residence and numerous cats and rabbits. Nine dogs were taken to Mount Laurel Animal Hospital, several in extremely poor health, police said. One dog was in such bad shape, it was euthanized.

Police said the investigation led to information that as many as 100 dogs have died in the home.

A burial spot was located behind the house with dogs in "various levels of decay" in an open hole in the ground, Miller said.

"There's dogs in cages, live dogs in cages, dead dogs in cages, dead animals throughout the house lying on the floor," Miller said.

Investigators had to open windows and air out the house before doing a full search because of the unsafe conditions inside, he said.

Dogs were being fostered, police believe

Police believe the dogs may have been given to the couple to foster, and that they received money for the dogs' care, Miller said at a news conference.

A nonprofit based in North Carolina that had been placing dogs with the couple became suspicious and sent a representative to New Jersey to investigate. That person reported the couple to police, Miller said.

He said malnourishment is believed to be the cause of most of the dogs' deaths.

Additional charges will be filed as the investigation continues, Miller said.