Deputies rescued a 4-year-old from a Deltona, Florida, retention pond Saturday morning, leading to his parents’ arrests on child neglect and animal cruelty charges, FOX 5 Atlanta reported, citing the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office.
The parents were identified as Fermin Medrano-Perez, 25, and Jeneixa Rodriguez-Crespo, 24. Authorities said the boy was placed in a grandparent’s care, and state child welfare officials were notified for follow-up.
The response began with a report of a young child alone near the pond. Deputies found him in the water, brought him to safety and determined where he lived.
Inside the residence, deputies said they encountered large quantities of animal waste, along with mold and a roach infestation. A dog described by authorities as neglected was being kept in a cage; Deltona Animal Control took the animal into custody.
Authorities had not said how the child reached the water or how long he had been without supervision. The report also left unclear how long the family had lived in the conditions deputies described.