A 48-year-old man faces child endangerment and animal torture charges for allegedly leaving his two young kids alone in a filthy, urine-soaked Manhattan apartment, where cops also found an emaciated dog, according to a criminal complaint.
Ronald McDonagh was arrested Sunday morning after his 8-year-old son, who had been in the apartment with McDonagh's 4-year-old daughter, called 911, according to multiple reports. He ran up to an officer who had responded, and told the cop he had gone to the store to get milk and juice, the complaint says.
Another officer went inside the apartment and described it as "uninhabitable," the complaint says. Photos showed garbage and clothing cluttering the home, which smelled of urine, court papers say.
A third cop also noticed two loaded guns -- a Glock 26 and a Beretta -- unsecured on a shelf in an open closet, the complaint says. That officer also reported finding an emaciated dog in a cage in the home, an empty bowl next to it, court papers say. Its coat was matted and urine-soaked.
It wasn't clear how long the kids were left alone, nor was the context of the boy's 911 call immediately available. According to DNAinfo, McDonagh is a city correction officer, though that was not indicated in the criminal complaint. According to the website, the city Department of Correction referred questions about the case to the NYPD.
McDonagh was arraigned in Manhattan Criminal Court and released on his own recognizance. He's due back in court next month.
The name of McDonagh's attorney wasn't immediately listed in online court records. DNAinfo reports a legal representative did not immediately return the website's request for comment.
