- Connecticut, USA -
On October 19, 2022, the Winchester Police Department arrested 30-years-old MARISSA O’BRIEN, 53-years-old LAURA THOMEN, and 61-years-old JAMES THOMEN SR. after nearly two hundred cats were found at a Winsted home.
In a news release police said that it all started on June 13, 2022, when the Department received an anonymous call about a sick cat at a home on 143 Moore Avenue in Winsted.
A further investigation led animal control to respond to the scene as well. Officers noticed a strong odor of urine emanating from the property and numerous cats inside.
CBS News reports that Winchester Town Manager Josh Kelly, who helped organize the rescue of the hoarded animals, said on Facebook that a total of 189 cats, two dogs, and one ferret were removed from the home.
Winchester Police Department Chief William T. Fitzgerald Jr. told NBC News: “You couldn’t even see the floor — it was full of cats.” Chief Fitzgerald said many of the cats were sick and had eye infections and fleas.
Chief Fitzgerald explained that the family began collecting the cats because LAURA THOMEN wanted to bring them in from the cold and feed them. “It probably started out as a good idea — humanitarian type of thing — but it obviously got out of hand,” he said.
The cats were taken to the Batcheller School, which was just decommissioned and was vacant. At the school, volunteers helped clean the furbabies and veterinarians examined them.
They cats were later moved to shelters across the state and placed for adoption.
NBC Connecticut reports that sadly, one cat had to be euthanized.
Inside the home, officers also found eight people. Three of them were the aforementioned arrestees. A 6-year-old girl and a 10-year-old boy were also occupying the residence and the other three occupants were not mentioned in the news release.
Police said the two children were removed and placed with relatives.
Following an extensive investigation, Winchester Police obtained arrest warrants for MARISSA O’BRIEN, LAURA THOMEN, and JAMES THOMEN SR., and an additional warrant is pending for another individual, said police.
The arrestees are each charged each with 106 counts of cruelty of animal and 2 counts risk of injury to a minor.
The trio are scheduled to be arranged at Torrington Superior Court on November 1, 2022.
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