After their 2-year-old son was found living in “squalid conditions” in their car, a couple in the Florida Keys is under arrest.
During a traffic stop, the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office said Zachary Sousa Engren, 22, and Jillian Larae Meyers, 20, were arrested after police found a young child in a car filled with trash, reptiles and insects in various boxes in the trunk, and cockroaches crawling on him or her.
In addition to smelling human waste, police say the child’s parents were unable to explain when he was last fed or why there were no diapers in his car.
They told police they lived in the vehicle with a third male passenger who was not charged.
There was a strong odor of marijuana emanating from the vehicle, police said. “Deputies found a Glock .40 caliber handgun under the passenger seat as well as multiple marijuana cigarettes and loose marijuana in the vehicle.”
According to the male passenger, the group was collecting insects and reptiles in the Florida Keys.
In a Facebook post, deputies reported that the child had been removed from the vehicle and the Florida Department of Children and Families had been contacted.
Initially, police stopped the car because of reports of reckless driving.
Both Engren and Meyers were taken to jail and charged with child abuse, marijuana possession, synthetic marijuana possession, and marijuana paraphernalia possession.
According to police, Engren has also been charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and Meyers has been charged with concealed weapon possession without a permit.