(Editor’s note: This story was updated to show that Teague has been issued bond.)
Flagler County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrested a Palm Coast woman after her children said she abandoned them at a local hospital and deputies later found dozens of animals, some of them dead, at her home.
Sandra Teague, 58, of Palm Coast, was charged with three counts of child neglect. She is being held on $150,000 bond at the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility.
On April 30, deputies responded to AdventHealth Palm Coast after a 17-year-old walked into the emergency room and told staff his mother dropped him off because she was upset, according to a sheriff’s office press release.
The juvenile was wearing socks and no shoes and reported that his siblings had been abandoned as well, investigators said. Deputies quickly contacted the other two juveniles, a 14-year-old and a 13-year-old.
The children told deputies that their mother, Teague, became extremely upset that morning and blamed them after one of their dogs died.
The children said it was the first time Teague had ever dropped them off somewhere when she was angry. They said normally when she is upset, she locks them outside of the house, forcing them to sleep outside, the press release stated.
The kids said that she locks them outside of the house every other day.
The children told deputies that the April 30 incident was different because one of the family’s foster dogs had died and Teague was blaming them. The children stated that Teague told them, “…this is the last straw,” then drove them to the hospital, yelled at them to get out of the car and drove off.
Investigators: Flagler home reeked of garbage, animal feces
Deputies located Teague at her home and began investigating the reported neglect. During the investigation, detectives determined Teague was the primary caretaker for the three juveniles.
From the initial investigation deputies became further concerned about the juveniles’ care and living conditions, which they say included the front door area of the residence reeking of garbage and animal feces throughout the residence on the floors and walls.
Deputies notified the Florida Department of Children and Families and DCF responded to the scene.
“Based on this investigation, she will never receive a mother of the year award,” said Sheriff Rick Staly. “No child should ever have to live in these disgusting conditions or be treated like this.”
During a search warrant of the home, 44 live dogs, three live pigs, one live cat, and one live snake were located in the residence and removed with the assistance of Palm Coast Animal Control. There were also multiple deceased animals in kennels on the property.
“Not only does she not treat or care for her children properly, but she should never own or be a foster provider for helpless animals ever again,” Staly added.
The case remains under active investigation and additional charges are likely.
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Palm Coast woman accused of abandoning 3 kids, abusing animals
Reporting by Eileen Zaffiro-Kean, Daytona Beach News-Journal / The Daytona Beach News-Journal
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