Putnam County deputies find children living in home in ‘deplorable condition’ with 2 dead dogs inside, officials say

Animal rescue was able to save 7 dogs from the home

PUTNAM COUNTY, Fla. – A woman is facing child and animal neglect charges after deputies found children living in a home they called “deplorable,” according to the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office.

According to the sheriff’s office, when deputies went to Casey Whiteside’s home on Feb. 3 for eviction, they found two kids in the house who were living in “deplorable” conditions.

Deputies said they found garbage on the floor, on dressers and on a bed, and the back porch was also covered in feces. Two dead puppies were also found, according to deputies.

According to an incident report, the Department of Children and Families took the children away from the home.

Emily Grimsley, founder of Hope for Pits, Inc., said the animal rescue organization helped save seven dogs.

“It’s sad but it’s also frustrating,” Grimsley said. “They were skin and bone and bell. They’re full of parasites. They have gastrointestinal upsets.”

Grimsley said it’s sad the kids and the dogs had to live through this because it’s something they didn’t ask for.

“We’re trying to do right by innocent lives. It’s bad enough the animals were being faced with this but to know there were very young children in that environment was shocking,” Grimsley said.

The rescued puppies are doing better, according to Grimsley.

“They have some coughing going on but right now, I would say they’ll be ready to spread their wings,” she said.

Grimsley hopes the puppies will be ready to find forever homes or different foster families in a few weeks.

Whiteside was arrested and charged with two counts of child and animal neglect. She was released from jail on a $6,000 bond.


About the Author:

Khalil Maycock joined the News4JAX team in November 2022 after reporting in Des Moines, IA.