Ansonia Police use search warrant to take 39 dogs, 2 ferrets from residence

ANSONIA - Ansonia Police began an investigation Thursday after receiving a complaint of possible animal cruelty and unsanitary living conditions at a residence on Schumacher Drive, Lt. Patrick Lynch said in a written release Friday morning.

A search warrant was obtained to enter the home and inside the investigating officers found 39 dogs, 2 ferrets, 2 adult females, and 3 juveniles, ages 15, 5, and 2 living in the house. 

Officers found garbage, animal feces, and urine throughout the house. 

The living conditions in the residence were deemed to be unsanitary and unsafe; the house was condemned by the Ansonia building inspector. 

Initial examination of the dogs has shown the dogs to be healthy. All the dogs will be checked by a veterinarian to ensure they are healthy and have not been neglected. 

Police said the Department of Children and Families assisted in the investigation and the juveniles were brought to a local hospital for evaluation due to the condition of the home. 

The investigation is ongoing and more information will be released as it becomes available.

Chief Williams would like to the thank Woodbridge Animal Control and the Town of Oxford for their assistance in the case.

This is a press release from Lt. Patrick Lynch.

Ansonia man, 36, charged in alleged child abuse case

Lamar Haney

ANSONIA - The Ansonia Police Department was notified at 4:07 a.m. today by the Department of Children and Families of a possible abuse case involving a six-week-old child, Lt. Patrick Lynch said in a written release. 

DCF reported the juvenile victim was currently at Yale New Haven Hospital being treated for injuries. 

Hospital personnel advised the initial officer the child had multiple injuries to include a brain bleed, fractured ribs, lacerated liver, and other injuries which were consistent with child abuse. 

The child’s father, Lamar Haney, admitted to causing the injuries.

Haney, 36, of Ansonia was charged with first-degree assault and held on a $100,000 bond. He was to appear in court today.

This is a press release from Lt. Patrick Lynch.

Gentile lauds House passage of safe havens bill

HARTFORD - State Rep. Linda M. Gentile, D-Ansonia, Derby), announced Wednesday a bill she co-sponsored to strengthen protections for individuals caring for infants in the custody of the Department of Children and Families under the state's safe haven program, has passed the House of Representatives.

State Rep. Linda Gentile

““The Safe Havens program is one that has supported women in some of the most desperate moments of their lives,” Gentile said. 
“With Safe Haven, mothers and parents can make decisions with peace of mind and know that their child is protected. I will continue to support anything we can do to improve and strengthen the safe haven law and this bill does just that.”

House Bill #7121 makes various changes to the state's safe haven law: 

• Requires the Department of Children and Families to identify an adoptive parent for a safe haven infant within one business day of receiving notice of the infant's surrender
• Specifies circumstances under which DCF may require DNA tests to determine the infant's parentage
• Limits the circumstances in which DCF may remove a safe haven infant from a prospective adoptive parent's home 
• Clarifies the information a hospital employee may disclose about a safe haven surrender if he or she believes the infant was abused or neglected
• Prohibits DCF from disclosing information about the parents of a safe haven infant to a prospective adoptive parent or foster parent without a court order unless otherwise required by law

Since its passage in 2000, Connecticut’s Safe Havens law has saved 27 infants from abandonment and near certain death. The law allows anyone to drop off a newborn baby (30 days old or younger) at any hospital emergency room in Connecticut. 
The person dropping off the baby will remain anonymous, and the police will not be called. 


This is a press release from Gentile's office.