A 1-year-old girl has died after she was pulled from a home where authorities found 16 dead animals inside, police in Dayton, Ohio, confirmed Monday.
The Montgomery County Coroner’s Office identified the child as 21-month-old Arez Marie Isabella Schrodi, of Dayton.
The coroner’s office declined to say whether officials have ruled on the cause of her death or if an autopsy has been completed.
Early Saturday, the toddler was pulled from a South Torrence Street home where police said there were “cleanliness issues” and taken to Dayton Children’s Hospital after her grandmother found her not breathing and unresponsive.
A couple who identified themselves as the baby’s grandparents called 911 just before 1 a.m. and told authorities they were performing CPR.
Around the front yard of the family’s white, two-story home in the 100 block of South Torrence Street is a rusty chain link fence. Garbage and miscellaneous debris covers the area surrounding the front porch, which is partially covered with a makeshift roof.
“It gets your attention ... because I’ve got kids, too,” neighbor Gene Smith said.
Smith was walking his dog as police investigated. He said he spoke with Dayton police officers.
“They said there’s a bunch of dead animals, (and they) took the kids to Children Services,” Smith said.
Mark Kumpf, executive director of the Animal Resource Center, said there were 16 dead animals removed from the home, where only three animals were found alive.
The dead animals included 15 snakes and one cat. The surviving animals include a four-foot boa constrictor-type snake and a rabbit. Both were taken to the humane society.
The Animal Resource Center took in a shar-pei mix dog.
Kumpf said the house was not fit for animal or human habitation.
Authorities continue to investigate.
The Cox Media Group National Content Desk contributed to this report.
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