Disabled Dunedin Woman, Pets Found Living In Filthy Conditions

DUNEDIN, FL -- A 65-year-old Dunedin man has been arrested after being accused of neglecting an elderly disabled woman, 10 dogs and five birds.

At 7:19 p.m., Wednesday, Pinellas County Sheriff's deputies were summoned to do a welfare check on a 67-year-old bedridden woman at her home in Dunedin. When deputies walked up the driveway, they could smell rotting trash and animal feces. Inside the home, the odor of feces and urine was so overwhelming that deputies had to don masks.

Due to the large amount of trash in the home, a path had to be cleared for deputies to reach the victim's bedroom. None of the home's toilets were working and all were overflowing with feces. The only working sink was located on the opposite end of the house from the victim's bedroom.

No food or water could be found available for the victim or the pets in the home. Deputies also saw rats, cockroaches, ants, spiders, flies, mosquitoes and a black-colored mold.

All 10 dogs were underweight, some emaciated. Two puppies were living in a plastic bin that had nearly two inches of feces in it.

Five large Macaws were loose in the house as well.

The woman was transported to the hospital for treatment and deputies contacted the Florida Elderly Abuse Hotline.

Pinellas County Animals Services took custody of all the animals and transported them to shelters

The woman's caretaker who lived in the home, Richard Lawrence Goodwin, was arrested and charged with one count of abuse/neglect of the aged/disabled and two counts of cruelty to animals.

Goodwin was arrested previously and charged with one count of abuse/neglect of the aged/disabled on May 6, 2018, for neglecting the same victim.