By Melanie Ruberti

Melanie.ruberti@lagrangenews.com

Public Safety Reports

Four people are now behind bars in the Troup County Jail after law enforcement officers discovered them, two children and 31 animals living in deplorable conditions.

Brandi Pybus – McCoy, 41, Nicholas Luciano, 29, Eamantha Leanne Crain, 22 and Zachariah C. McCoy, 22, all of Hogansville, were arrested by investigators, according to Hogansville Police Chief Brian Harr.

All four adults were each charged with two counts of first degree cruelty to children, Harr stated.

Pybus-McCoy and Luciano were also each charged with two counts of first degree cruelty to animals.

Zachariah McCoy and Crain were each additionally charged with two counts of deprivation of a minor, Harr said.

The four adults are accused of allowing a seven-month-old infant and a two-year-old child live in a camper filled with trash, rotting food and feces, stated law enforcement officials.

The Hogansville Police Department, along with Hogansville Animal Control responded to a home in the 4700 block of Mountville – Hogansville Road Monday afternoon after receiving an anonymous tip the residence was unsafe and there were several animals on the property, said Chief Brian Harr.

While at the house, officials with LaGrange – Troup County Animal Control and the Troup County Marshal’s Office, who were called in as back up, discovered a camper in the backyard surrounded by flies, the police report stated.

Officials looked inside the camper and found a young child watching TV and an infant asleep in a back bedroom. The room was attached to a bathroom where four other residents were allegedly using a five-gallon bucket as a toilet, the report said.

Law enforcement officials discovered the inside of the main house was overrun with trash, cob webs, rotting food, empty liquor and beer bottles plus animal and human feces and waste, the police report stated.

Five dogs and eight cats were found freely roaming around the home, along with a rabbit, hamsters and turtles, the report stated. Most of the caged animals did not have food or water, officials said.

Animal Control officers and Marshal’s Deputies removed 31 animals from the property, according to the report.

The animals were taken to the LaGrange-Troup County Animal Control facility.

The two children remain in the custody of the Department of Family and Child Services.

The investigation is ongoing and additional charges against the four adults are pending, said Chief Harr.

Suspect admits to Troup Street shooting

A 46-year-old man has admitted to shooting another man on Troup Street Tuesday afternoon – but claims it was self-defense.

Lawrence Bolden, of LaGrange, voluntarily spoke with investigators at the LaGrange Police Department about the incident later that night.

Bolden allegedly admitted to shooting the other man near the intersection of Troup and Taft Streets, officials stated. But Bolden reportedly stated the incident, “was a matter of self-defense.”

The man was arrested on unrelated warrants, but has not been charged in the shooting, LPD investigators stated.

The 40-year-old victim was shot at least once in the abdomen and taken to Midtown Medical Center in Columbus for treatment, according to police officials.

The man was initially uncooperative, but later told investigators who shot him, a report stated.

Police are still investigating the incident.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the LaGrange Police Department at 706-883-2603 or Troup County Crime Stoppers at 706-812-1000. Callers can remain anonymous.

All information in this report is gathered from official law enforcement and public safety reports and releases. It is the policy of the Daily News to list the names of people charged with felonies. Reach the LaGrange Daily News at 706-884-7311.