By Shelley Smith
ssmith@salisburypost.com
SALISBURY ó The children of David and Angela Lore told authorities of living in a home overrun with animals alive and dead and so infested with roaches they couldnít escape them ó even in their own beds.
Thatís according to a search warrant obtained Friday by the Salisbury Post. The Rowan County Sheriffís Office served the search warrant Wednesday, the same day the Lores were arrested and jailed on $250,000 bond apiece.
Their children, ages 7, 9, 14 and 16, were removed from the home. Authorities say in addition to living in filth, the children werenít getting proper medical care and werenít being educated though their parents had registered as a home school with the state.
In an affidavit seeking the warrant, Detective John Brindle said the Rowan County Department of Social Services contacted the Sheriffís Office March 1 about conditions at the home.
On March 14, Brindle said in the affidavit, he talked with Social Services caseworker Kris Sapper, who told him that on a visit to the home she saw animal feces ground into the carpet ěand was barely able to complete the in-home interview because the stench was horrific.î
Social workers took the four children from the home Monday. The same day, Brindle says in the affidavit, he visited the Loresí shop, Pet Place at 848 S. Main St. in Salisbury, and sought their consent to inspect their home.
The Lores refused ěuntil they had the opportunity to speak with legal counsel.î
On Tuesday, Brindle spoke to three of the Loresí children. According to the affidavit, the children told Brindle ěthere were dead animals in the house in cages and out back of the residence in various stages of decay.î
The children told Brindle that at one time, the Lores kept more than 120 animals inside the mobile home and that feces and urine were spread throughout the house, the affidavit said.
They also told Brindle ěthat roaches were all over the house, including in the food and bedding of the minor children,î according to the detectiveís statement.
Sandra Wilkes, director of the Department of Social Services, said Thursday the children have been placed with family and are ěgetting good care.î
When investigators searched the mobile home Wednesday, they seized five pieces of mail, pill bottles and various unidentified pills, a bottle containing the antidepressant Fluoxetine dated May 17, 2002, a brown vial containing an unknown black substance, a purple smoking pipe, black scales, an inhaler and two Memorex CDs
Brindle, who works with the Special Victimís Unit in the Sheriffís Office, said the pills and vial will be sent to the N.C. State Bureau of Investigationís crime lab for identification, and the Lores could face additional charges for having the items in their home.
Investigators are still looking at the Memorex CDs, Brindle said.
ěWe havenít made a determination of whatís all involved in that yet,î he said.
Rowan County Animal Control Supervisor Clai Martin said his department will be periodically checking on the condition of the animals at the Loresí pet store. He said three malnourished dogs taken from their home are in the custody of animal control.
The Lores remained in the Rowan County jail Friday night. Each is charged with four counts of child abuse, four counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor and three counts of cruelty to animals. All the charges are misdemeanors.
They are scheduled to appear in court April 6.
Contact reporter Shelley Smith at 704-797-4246 or ssmith@salisburypost.com.