Parents charged with child endangerment, animal hoarding - Los Angeles Local News, Weather, and Traffic

A northwest suburban couple investigated by the state for neglect were charged with child endangerment Thursday, and are also accused of animal hoarding.

Scott Corneliuson, 40, and Jennifer Corneliuson, 43, of the 3300 block of East Lakewood Court in Glenview, are each charged with one count of endangering the life of a child, and companion animal hoarding, according to Glenview police.

The couple turned themselves in about 8 a.m. and were taken to court, where they were ordered held on $25,000 bonds. They will next appear in court on Jan. 14, police said.

A Department of Children and Family Services investigator visited the home on Dec. 7 to look into an allegation of child neglect and found 35 dogs, according to a statement from the agency. The family's three children were relocated to the home of a relative.

"Animal hoarding can create a dangerous and potentially life-threatening environment for children," the DCFS statement said.

Police said the dogs were found throughout the home, and "urine, feces, and damage caused by the dogs was evident."

The homeowners were in the process of cleaning the home and placing the dogs in facilities when they were charged, police said.

A correlation between child and animal endangerment led to 2009 legislation requiring cross-reporting between DCFS and the state Department of Agriculture, which oversees animal safety, DCFS said.

Experts found child abuse occurs in 80 percent of homes with children in which animal abuse is occurring.