By ROBIN SHANNON

L’Observateur

LAPLACE –St. John the Baptist Parish authorities removed two young children from a LaPlace home Thursday after they were found living in a trailer littered with garbage and animal waste, according to a release from the Sheriff’s Office

The parents of the children, a 6-year-old girl and her 4-year-old brother, were arrested Thursday morning and charged with two counts of cruelty to juveniles and five counts of animal cruelty, said Capt. Dane Clement, public information officer for the Sheriff’s Office.

Clement said after the Sheriff’s Office received a call from the Parish Child Protection Agency, deputies arrived at the home to find the family “living in a trailer of filth.” He said deputies found animal feces and garbage strewn about the home.

According to a Sheriff’s Office report, St. John Animal Control also removed five dogs from the home that were found to be malnourished. The report indicated that four dogs lived inside the home and the fifth was tied up outside.

Clement said the names of the parents are not being released in order to protect the identity of the young children. He said they are being held at the Sherman Walker Correctional Facility in LaPlace.