Police: Sisters living in squalor with disabled teen hoarded 31 cats

SNELLVILLE, Ga. — Snellville police arrested two sisters for allegedly hoarding 31 cats in a motel room. Police also said a disabled adult was also forced to stay in the squalor.

Channel 2's Kerry Kavanaugh has learned this was the sisters' second abuse-related arrest in less than two months.

Gwinnett County Animal Control officers said two out of 31 cats had a fighting shot to survive. Officers rescued them along with a very scared dog from a Snellville hotel room Tuesday night.

They say conditions in the room at the Crestwood Suites on Presidential Circle were rancid.

"Just feces, the smell of urine, just real bad," said Snellville Detective Orlando Concepcion.

He told Kavanaugh another motel guest reported the odor and was concerned about what was beyond the door.

Investigators said when officers arrived, sisters Leah Waller and Elisha Waller attempted to clean up but it was way too late.

"They were trying to hide them (cats) all in the bathroom and clean up as much as possible,"

Aside from the pets, police said they also found Leah Waller's 19-year-old son who suffers from cerebral palsy, bound to his wheelchair and forced to sit in squalor.

The Waller sisters went to jail for cruelty to animals and exploitation of a disabled adult. That's when investigators discovered the duo was out on bond for nearly the same charges.

In April, Gwinnett County police were called to the Wallers' Loganville home where they allegedly found another hoarding mess and the disabled 19-year-old.

Animal control showed Kavanaugh a photo of where they found him, in his wheelchair, in filth.

Police said at the home they rescued three dogs. Two are still battling through recovery. Officers say the animals were found in soiled baby diapers locked in a play pen.

Police then arrested the sisters for animal cruelty and contacted Adult Protective Services.

Snellville police said they, too, reported the conditions of the disabled young man to Adult Protective Services.

WSBTV