Three adults were charged with 106 counts of animal cruelty each in connection to a cat hoarding incident in Winsted in June, according to police.
On June 13, the Winchester Police Department received an anonymous call about a sick cat at a home on Moore Avenue. An animal control officer responded to the scene and noticed a strong odor of urine coming from the home. “Numerous” cats were seen inside the residence, police said.
Eight people were living in the home, including James Thomen, 61, Laura Thomen, 53, Marissa O’Brien, 30, and two minors aged 10 and 6, police said.
Winchester Police Chief William Fitzgerald said there were over 200 cats in the residence at the time of the complaint, but the department could only prove ownership of 106 cats.
The two children were removed from the home immediately due to concerns over the living conditions and placed into the custody of relatives by the Department of Children and Families, police said.
The Winchester Police Department conducted an extensive investigation and obtained arrest warrants for James Thomen, Laura Thomen and O’Brien. An additional warrant is pending for another individual.
The three adults were arrested on Oct. 19. Each was charged with 106 counts of cruelty to animals and two counts of risk of injury to a minor. All three are scheduled to appear in Torrington Superior Court on Nov. 1.