Woman fled for help from house with 70 dogs, neighbors say

CRITTENDEN COUNTY, Ark. — Neighbors near Hughes, Arkansas, are talking after three children and some 70 dogs were found living in deplorable conditions Tuesday.

The case came to light about a year after a woman living at the house ran to a neighbor’s house for help, they say.

Three adults — Martin Huerta-Miller, 61, Victoria Martinez, 37, and W.L. Crump — are facing charges of endangering the welfare of a minor and animal cruelty, the Crittenden County Sheriff’s Office said.

Three kids, over 50 dogs rescued in Crittenden County after welfare check

Three children, ages 2, 8, and 10, were removed from the home and are in DHS custody. And more than 50 dogs were taken in by the West Memphis Animal Shelter.

“All they did was just make us wonder. They never did come out to visit, never did say anything to us or nothing,” neighbor Judy Day said.

Day says she first met a woman who lived there three years ago and remarked at the large number of dogs they had then.

“When we went over there to invite them to church, he had 17 dogs, and this is what they told me. And I said, ‘My God, that’s a lot of dogs,'” she said.

Another neighbor said he helped a young woman who ran away from the same house about a year ago.

Barry Lee said the woman came to his house smelling of urine and feces.

“You could smell it on her clothes in her hair,” Lee said.

He said she was hysterical and said she didn’t want to leave. Lee said he told the woman she didn’t have to go back to the house and helped her find a new place to live.

Lee said the woman is related to Martinez. This week, she called him and said she was concerned about the children inside the home, so he contacted the sheriff’s office.

📲 Download the WREG App today and stay up to date with breaking news and weather.

📧 Sign up for WREG newsletters and have the latest top stories sent right to your inbox.

📡 See more breaking news, local news and weather from WREG.com for Memphis and the Mid-South.

The West Memphis Animal Shelter coordinated the rescue of the dogs, which are now being examined to determine their health and breed. The dogs were chihuahua and terrier mixes.

Kerry Facello, Director of West Memphis Animal Services, was back at the house Tuesday, documenting the horrific conditions.

“It’s hard to fathom anybody or anything living in those circumstances,” Facello said.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com.