Middletown couple charged over child welfare check

Melanie and Christopher Todd face four counts of child endangerment and multiple animal cruelty charges after police removed their four children from a Middletown home in late September. Both parents remain in custody at the Butler County Jail.

Middletown City Schools contacted authorities on September 29 after two 10-year-old students appeared unkempt and stated they had no food to eat at home. The children also reported that two cats were dead inside the residence, according to the criminal complaint.

Officers described the interior as deplorable and unlivable during the welfare check. They discovered large holes in the walls and floors, some big enough to see the outside. One child told police the holes resulted from the parents punching surfaces during angry episodes.

The kitchen contained little to no edible food. Officers reported that floors were covered with dirty clothes, trash, animal feces, and general debris. The home was infested with bedbugs and cockroaches.

Law enforcement transported the four children to other family members. They also removed four cats, pet fish, mice, gerbils, and pet tarantulas from the property. The couple is scheduled for arraignment this Thursday.