Dead dogs, rotting food: Couple charged after Racine home found to be uninhabitable

RACINE, Wis. (CBS 58) -- A couple from Racine are facing charges of chronic child neglect and mistreatment of animals. This, after authorities say the home they were living in with three young children was deemed unfit for human habitation. 

Sandra Lemke, 38, and Steven Burdo, 39, are each charged with the following: 

• Chronic neglect of a child (four counts) 
• Negligently provide improper animal shelter sanitation standards (18 counts) 
• Mistreating animals-intentional or negligent violation (16 counts) 
• Felony mistreatment of animals (two counts) 

According to a criminal complaint, the Racine County Human Services Department (HSD) received a report concerning the condition of a home on Lorraine Avenue in Racine that three children resided in -- ages 10, 8 and 5. 

The complaint says the children's mother, identified as Sandra Lemke, advised the HSD worker she had "let the home go" due to being overwhelmed with the condition and her children. Lemke's husband and father of the 5-year-old child, Steven Burdo, also resided in the home. 

Uncooperative at first, investigators say Lemke would not let police officers or the HSD worker into the home, claiming the family dog was vicious and would bite. Eventually, officials say Lemke allowed officials inside and upon entering, the immediate smell of urine and feces was pungent and "almost suffocating." 

Officials say there had not been any electricity or water in the home for some time, creating a warm, damp, and sickly environment. Soiled, stiff clothing, rotten food, disheveled furniture filled the home. 

According to the complaint, numerous painters' buckets were filled to the brim with what was suspected to be human feces. A broken toilet was in the middle of a hallway, completely filled with feces -- the complaint says.

When asked where the children slept, Lemke allegedly said the whole family slept in the living room on the couch and chairs. Officials noted the couch was covered in cigarettes, ash, moldy food, bugs, and grime. The children, officials say, had just one "ragged" blanket to share. 

In a child's bedroom, authorities say two dead dogs were found to be decaying. 

Lemke allegedly said she knew the dead dogs were in the home but did not make any efforts to remove them. 

Authorities also located at least 15 live cats and kittens and one live dog. All animals, according to Lemke, had never been to the vet and never vaccinated. 

The Wisconsin Humane Society took in the animals and treated them for various ailments including fleas, dermatitis, ear mites, open sores, tapeworms, and more. 

According to the criminal complaint, the Racine County Human Services Department had a total of nine reports between 2014 and 2023 for dirty and unsanitary conditions of the home. The complaints were all of the same nature: dirty home, children were dirty and smelled of urine, inappropriate food at school and in the home. 

Lemke reportedly told investigators, the home belonged to her uncle who had died six years prior, and she and the children moved in afterward. 

Both Lemke and Burdo are due in court on Sept. 13 for preliminary hearings.