ELWOOD, Ind. — Court documents reveal that Elwood police were responding to a call about a possible domestic disturbance when they discovered a home filled with flies and feces and a child living in unhealthy conditions.
Daniel W. Schutte, 57, and Andrea L. Watson, 51, are both facing charges of neglect of a dependent, a Level 6 felony. Schutte is charged with two felony counts of invasion of privacy.
According to court documents, officers were called out to the home on N. 9th Street on Tuesday with Schutte telling responding officers that he had been hit in the face. Officers noted blood coming from Schutte’s nose and soon discovered that Schutte wasn’t permitted to be at the home and that Watson had a protective order against him.
Schutte was also accused of supplying alcohol to a minor who lived at the home, court documents reveal. Police gave the minor a breathalyzer test and reported the minor’s blood alcohol content at .158%, well above the legal .08% limit.
While police were attempting to sort out the domestic disturbance, officers entered the home and discovered the foul, unkempt conditions of the household where Watson lived with her child.
Officers reported an “overwhelming smell of feces” upon entering the home that made it “hard to breathe.” The house was reportedly littered with animal feces, dirt, trash, rotten food and soiled clothes.
Police reported piles of dog feces in addition to a portable toilet kept by a mattress that was filled with presumed human waste and crawling with flies.
“The house was filled with hundreds of flies,” an officer wrote.
Police said in addition to the disgusting conditions of the home, there was no refrigerator, the water didn’t work in the sink and officers were only able to find a few cans of food and some crackers on the floor.
“The kitchen was filled with flies and the floor was caked in what looked to be feces, mud and old food,” an officer wrote.
Police reported four dogs living in the home and said the electricity didn’t appear to be working upstairs, making the upper floors hot and uncomfortable to be in.
An animal shelter was called to collect the dogs and the minor living at the home was taken into Child Protective Service’s custody.
Police said that Watson blamed Schutte for the state of the home and claimed he was paid to take care of her, even though she told police earlier that he wasn’t permitted to be at the house and officers found active protective orders against him.
Both Schutte and Watson were arrested on Tuesday and taken to the Delaware County Jail.
Each faces up to 2.5 years in prison if convicted of a Level 6 felony.
