The Blount County Sheriff’s Office has arrested the parents of a four-year-old boy who was shot and injured in the arm and leg on April 4.
The child was taken to St. Vincent’s Blount Hospital and later transferred to Children’s of Alabama, where he is recovering from surgery.
His parents, Cassandra Lutz and Alexander Corrie, were charged with first-degree reckless assault, chemical endangerment, 10 counts of cruelty to animals and six counts of failure to bury/burn livestock.
The arrests came after detectives executed a search warrant at their Sugarland Lake home and found deplorable conditions.
“During the investigation, multiple unsecured firearms were found in the residence,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement. “Drug paraphernalia and suspected marijuana was also found inside the residence.”
“The residence also contained 24 live snakes, six dead snakes and a juvenile crocodile,” the statement said. “The animals were not secured other than being in containers and accessible to anyone who occupied the residence. The residence had no running water and no operational bathroom facilities.”
The Blount County Animal Control secured the animals, and DHR was contacted. The child’s sibling has been removed from the home and remains in protective custody.
The child had surgery and is recovering at Children’s Hospital.
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