Todd couple jailed after officers find holes in walls, dead pets in Middletown home

Melanie and Christopher Todd were booked into Butler County Jail on Tuesday after police removed four children from their Middletown home in September. The couple faces four counts of child endangerment and multiple counts of animal cruelty, according to a criminal complaint.

Officers responded to the Cardinal Court residence on Sept. 29 after Middletown City Schools reported two 10-year-old students appeared dirty and stated they had no food to eat. The children also told school staff that two cats had died inside the house.

Police described the interior as deplorable and unlivable. Officers found large holes in the walls and floors, some big enough to see outside. One child explained that the holes appeared when the parents got angry and punched the surfaces.

The living space contained little to no edible food. Dirty clothes, trash, animal feces, and debris covered the floors. Bedbugs and cockroaches infested the home. Officers removed all four children to stay with family members. They also took four cats, pet fish, mice, gerbils, and pet tarantulas from the property.

Both Todds remain in custody at the Butler County Jail. They are scheduled for arraignment on Thursday.