Edgewater, FL - A well-being check on three children living at 2721 Royal Palm Drive results in Edgewater Police finding the children, ages 8, 9 and 10, living in what police call "deplorable conditions." They were removed from the residence by the Department of Children and Families and placed with a responsible family member. The Edgewater Police Department is accepting donations, such as clothing, toys or money. The donations can be made in the Police Department lobby.
Also found at the home: 245 animals of various species, many of them in need of medical care. All of those animals were taken to the Edgewater Animal Shelter, which, of course, is not equipped to handle that many animals. The animals turned in are four dogs, two cats, nine guinea pigs, twelve rabbits, four hamsters, ten sugar gliders, fourteen birds, one gecko, one hedgehog, seven bearded dragons, one leopard-spotted gecko, 95 mice and 60 adult rats with 23 babies. Monetary donations or food can be dropped off at the Edgewater Animal Shelter.
As for the three adults in the home, each of them is or will be charged with three counts of child abuse and 66 counts of animal cruelty. One of them, 43-year-old Susan Nelson and 49-year-old Melissa Hamilton are in the Volusia County Jail, both being held on no bond. Edgewater Police still have 57-year-old Greg Nelson in custody.
