‘No visible signs of trauma’ to baby who died after being pulled from filthy home

DAYTON — Police confirm a 1-year-old girl pulled from a South Torrence Street home where 16 dead animals were found inside has died.

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  • Montgomery County Coroner's Office identified child as 21-month-old Arez Marie Isabella Schrodi of Dayton. 
  • After autopsy, cause of death is still pending.
  • Mark Kumpf, the Animal Resource Center executive director, said 16 dead animals  were removed from home; three animals alive inside house.

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UPDATE @ 1:17 p.m. (Aug. 9):

A source tells this news agency, “there are no signs of trauma to the baby’s body,” referring to 21-month-old Arez Marie Isabella Schrodi.  Schrodi died after being pulled from a filthy home on Torrence Street in Dayton.

The source said, “toxicology and test results should help answer the questions as to what happened.”

UPDATE @ 12:29 p.m. (Aug. 9):

City of Dayton housing inspectors have placed a notice on this Torrence Street home that “presence on these premises is prohibited.”

UPDATE @ 2:21 p.m. (Aug. 8):

The 15 dead snakes inside this home had been contained in a type of tower of plastic trays, according to investigators with ARC and the Humane Society. Several factors could have led to the death of the animals, including lack of food or medical care.

About 12 of the dead snakes were pythons, and the others were a type of corn snake.

The lone surviving snake was placed in foster care after being cleared by a veterinarian.

An autopsy on the child has been completed, but the cause and manner of death remains pending.

UPDATE 10:40 a.m. (Aug. 8):

An autopsy is ongoing this morning for 21-month-old girl who died after being pulled from a home in Dayton, where 16 dead animals were found inside, according to the Montgomery County Coroner’s Office.

Officials said it’s possible results from the autopsy could be available this afternoon.

INITIAL REPORT:

The dead animals included 15 snakes and one cat.

The surviving animals include a four-foot boa constrictor-type snake and a rabbit that are now at the humane society.

The Animal Resource Center took in a shar-pei mix dog.

Kumpf said the house was not fit for animal or human habitation.

Dayton police said There were “cleanliness issues” with a South Torrence Street house where a 1-year-old girl was removed by medics early Saturday and taken to Dayton Children’s Hospital after her grandmother found her not breathing and unresponsive.

A Montgomery County Department of Job & Family Services official confirmed, on Sunday, the agency is opening an investigation involving a woman who lives in the same Dayton house where the 1-year-old girl was found.

The agency did not have an existing open case involving the family.

A couple who identified themselves as the baby’s grandparents called 911 just before 1 a.m. to say the child was not breathing and they were performing CPR.

Police say the incident is considered “suspicious.”

The South Torrence Street house

A rusty chain link fence encloses the front yard of the family’s white two-story house in the 100 block of South Torrence Street. A lot of garbage and miscellaneous debris covers the area surrounding the front porch, which is partially covered with a makeshift roof.

“It’s kind of shocking,” neighbor Craig Jackson said tonight about the situation early this morning.

After police and medics arrived to the home, Dayton police detectives were summoned to investigate.

“It gets your attention ... because I’ve got kids, too,” neighbor Gene Smith said.

He was out walking his dog as police investigated, and Smith said he spoke with Dayton police officers. “They said there’s a bunch of dead animals, took the kids to Children Services.”

The child’s condition was not available.

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