Authorities seized Topekans' neglected dogs and cats but not their 2-year-old daughter
Authorities in January seized dozens of deceased and neglected dogs and cats from the Topeka home of Charles Solomon and Desiree Therrien.
The couple's 2-year-old daughter wasn't taken into protective custody, however.
Court records say that girl was present Dec. 19 at 1415 S.W. Fillmore, where Solomon let Topeka police enter, so he could surrender one of his dogs.
The Humane Society of the United States said animal rescuers and Topeka police on Jan. 30 found animals "living in squalor, with floors and walls coated in layers of filth and feces, and no apparent access to clean water."
Topeka's city government has determined the 2-year-old is in the care of her "custodial guardian," The Capital-Journal was told by Rosie Nichols, co-interim communications director for the city.
"No additional information is available," she said last week.
Shawnee County District Attorney Mike Kagay's office hasn't received any referrals identifying the 2-year-old as a potential child in need of care, said Katie Garceran, spokeswoman for his office.
"We are concerned for her well-being," Garceran said.
Here's what we know about Charles Solomon and Desiree Therrien
The 2-year-old's presence at 1415 S.W. Fillmore was among facts revealed in a charging affidavit The Capital-Journal acquired free of charge this past week using the Kansas Open Records Act.
Shawnee County District Court Judge Christopher Turner ordered Tuesday that the affidavit be made public, provided it included redactions requested by defense attorneys and Kagay's office. Those retractions were blacked out.
The affidavit told of how police tried to work with Solomon, 28, in the months before they removed animals from his house while arresting Solomon and Therrien, 30.
What do we know about the house?
Shawnee County Appraiser's Office records show the house where the pets were seized Jan. 30 at 1415 S.W. Fillmore is owned by Still Producing LLC, which is based at 2701 S.E. California Ave.
The building was then the site of a Feb. 5 house fire. Nichols said Friday that the investigation of the fire is ongoing and no further information was available for public release.
The property's value recently decreased from $65,210 for 2023 to $11,600 for 2024, the appraiser's office website said.
Dezyon Clark is the resident agent for Still Producing LLC, according to results of a Kansas Business Entity search. Calls to Still Producing weren't immediately returned Friday afternoon.
Charles Solomon first surrendered a dog he said had killed a cat
The charging affidavit, submitted by Topeka police detective Angela Widener, said animal control officers on July 31 received a complaint asking them to check the welfare of eight Great Danes and a large number of cats and chickens living at 1415 S.W. Fillmore.
A Topeka police animal control officer met there with Solomon, who said he owned the animals and showed them the dogs were in a fenced area in the backyard.
Police received a second complaint Oct. 27 asking them to check on the living conditions of animals at the house but were unable to contact the owner, the affidavit said.
It said police received a third complaint Dec. 6 saying about 40 cats and 20 dogs lived in the house; the house's floors were covered with urine and feces; chickens living outside were not being cared for; and an elderly man and a child were possibly living inside.
Police then met Solomon and another man on Dec. 19 at a Topeka community center, the affidavit said. Solomon said he had 13 dogs and six cats on the property and thanked police for giving him the chance to address the issues involved, it said.
Solomon said when he previously lived in Tennessee, animal control officers had seized all his animals "without giving him a chance to rectify animal problems first," the affidavit said. Solomon agreed Dec. 19 to surrender one of his dogs, whom he said had recently killed one of his cats.
Police invited officers to accompany him to 1415 S.W. Fillmore, where — seated on the front porch — they saw Solomon's girlfriend, Desiree Therrien; the couple's 2-year-old daughter; Therrien's mother, Sara Jane Therrien, and another man, the affidavit said. Solomon went inside for two to three minutes before allowing officers to enter, it said.
The affidavit said Solomon called animal control officers Dec. 27 to offer to surrender five more dogs, then told them Dec. 28 that he could only give up four of them, which he did that day. All four were underweight and showed signs of neglect and not being socialized, the affidavit said.
At that point, animal control officers decided to seize all animals from the house, it said. Police contacted the Humane Society of the United States for help and made plans to do that Jan. 30.
Widener then learned Jan. 26 that several deceased Great Danes had been found at a Miami County address associated with Desiree Therrien, and that a detective had asked Topeka police to check the welfare of animals at 1415 S.W. Fillmore and one other location here, the affidavit said.
It said Widener had dispatchers cancel plans to send officers to the Topeka homes, then contacted the Miami County detective, who told her his department's investigation was in its early stages.
"I explained that my investigation was much further along and we planned to make arrests and rescue all of the animals on Tuesday, Jan. 30," Widener's affidavit said.
Animal cruelty and neglect was alleged in Topeka home
The affidavit said Topeka police executed a search warrant Jan. 30 at 1415 S.W. Fillmore, where Solomon, Sara Therrien and another man were removed from the property. The affidavit gave no indication that any other people were present.
Police and volunteers found 18 dead cats and dogs as well as 70 cats and dogs "living in squalor, with floors and walls coated in layers of filth and feces, and no apparent access to clean water," the Humane Society of the U.S. said on its Facebook page.
HSUS posted a video on its Facebook page showing some of the rescued dogs and cats, as well as the conditions in which they were found.
"Several of the 70 dogs and cats at the alleged severe animal cruelty and neglect case in Topeka, KS are in truly shocking physical condition," HSUS said on Facebook. "Many of them are emaciated and sick with a variety of serious conditions, including upper respiratory problems and eye issues."
Miami County Undersheriff Matthew Kelly said the Topeka case was linked to the rescue the previous week of nine Great Danes and a shepherd mix from a property where 10 deceased Great Danes were found near Louisburg, 84 miles southeast of Topeka. Formal charges haven't been filed in that case.
Charles Solomon faces 26 criminal counts
Widener's affidavit asked that Solomon be booked into the Shawnee County Jail on 26 counts of animal cruelty, as that was the number of dogs he admitted to being in charge of caring for.
Kagay's office then charged Solomon with 26 misdemeanor counts of cruelty to animals.
Solomon remains an inmate in the Shawnee County Jail.
Topeka police on Jan. 30 said they also arrested Desiree Therrien in connection with cruelty to animals.
No record could be found of formal charges having been filed against Therrien.
Therrien's LinkedIn page identifies her as being a "pet care associate" with "TDC Exotic Rescue."
TDC Exotic's Rescue's Facebook page indicates it is based in Abilene and owned by Therrien's mother, Sara Therrien. No posts have been made on that page since 2016.
Contact Tim Hrenchir at threnchir@gannett.com or 785-213-5934.
This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Charging affidavit shares details about Topeka animal cruelty case
