TRUMANN, Ark. (KAIT) — A disturbing discovery led to the arrest of a Trumann couple after police found 24 dead cats stored in a freezer and a child living in squalid, unsafe conditions.
Samantha Lyn Platz, 38, and her boyfriend, Boddie Eugene Williams, 37, were charged with 24 counts of aggravated animal cruelty. Platz also faces a second-degree charge of endangering the welfare of a minor, while Williams was additionally charged with meth possession.
Police arrived at the home on the 600 block of South Ozark Avenue on July 2 following an anonymous call requesting a welfare check on a child. Officers first encountered Williams in a backyard shed, where they found two other individuals—Kevin Jones and Doris Arnold. All three had active search waivers on file and were found in possession of meth and paraphernalia. They denied ownership but were arrested on drug possession charges.
Inside the house, officers were hit with an overpowering stench of ammonia. Sgt. Blaine Cagle reported experiencing respiratory distress due to the fumes. The home was filled with animal urine, feces, trash, and what police described as unlivable conditions. Officers spotted more than ten live cats and evidence of prolonged animal hoarding.
In the child’s bedroom, police found her sitting on a bare, flea-infested mattress in a room soaked with filth. The girl was visibly embarrassed and told officers she couldn’t remember her last meal. Only minimal food was found in the kitchen.
Authorities also discovered significant structural damage inside the home. Floors were caving in, and the bathroom floor had completely collapsed, exposing the crawl space below.
Platz, the girl’s mother, was arrested for allowing her daughter to live in these “detrimental” conditions. Police allege she failed to provide basic hygiene, food, or safety, and knowingly exposed the child to harmful levels of ammonia and animal death.
Williams remains in custody for both the drug charges and animal cruelty.
Investigators believe the cat deaths and hazardous environment may have been ongoing for months.
