On April 10, the Belfast Police Department responded to 360 Belmont Ave. with Maine Adult Protective Services to conduct a welfare check on a senior adult living there, according to an April 20 news release from the Police Department.

The welfare check revealed unsafe conditions which caused investigators to have serious concerns for the welfare and safety for one senior at the home, the release said.

“Seeing those conditions required additional follow up and more investigation,” said Belfast Police Chief Robert Cormier. “Separately, Belfast Police also began an investigation into the welfare and safety of several animals at the property.”

Over the following week, Belfast Police returned to the address several times to further their investigation and were unable to locate anyone, including the at-risk person. It was believed that the subjects fled the area and it appeared they took the at-risk person with them. However, they left several animals without food or water, in deplorable conditions, some in very poor health and needing immediate attention to survive, the release said.

On April 17, Belfast Police located two individuals who were the subject of the investigation and the at-risk senior adult in Auburn. Assisted by the Auburn Police Department, Monique Kandra, 64, and Rowan Kandra, both of Belfast, were arrested on Class C felony Endangering charges, and the at-risk senior adult was taken into protective custody and transported to a local hospital for medical evaluation, the release said.

On April 18, the Belfast Police Department executed a search warrant at 360 Belmont Ave. for animal cruelty. As a result, several animals were seized and transported to area animal rescue shelters until a court hearing on Monday, April 22.

The two were charged with Endangering the Welfare of a Dependent Person, Class C Felony Title 17A 555.1.B and Animal Cruelty Class D Title 17-A.1031.1. E, which may be upgraded to Class C. Both were transported to Waldo County Jail, booked and released on $2,000 dollars cash bail. They are scheduled for arraignment on criminal charges in Waldo County Superior Court in Belfast on May 22.

This case is still under investigation and anyone having any information should contact the Belfast Police Department at 207-338-2040.