Callie Enman pleads not guilty before Judge Joseph Field on Tuesday in West Bath District Court to charges of animal cruelty and endangering the welfare of a child. (Darcie Moore / The Times Record)
WEST BATH — One of four people facing multiple animal cruelty charges after a police raid on a Brunswick breeder pleaded not guilty Tuesday. Callie Enman, 37, who now lives in the small Aroostook County town of Caswell, faces three counts of cruelty to animals and two counts of endangering the welfare of a child.
Brunswick police seized 38 dogs from the River Road home of Robert and Nancy Enman, both 61, in August 2018. Police found 44 dogs and a bird allegedly living in squalor. The animals were seized and the home condemned by the town’s health officer due to safety and sanitation concerns. Three goats were taken later the same month.
The condemnation order was lifted Aug. 30, 2018 following an inspection of the house and downstairs apartment, according to Jeff Emerson, Brunswick’s health officer. There were no children living there at the time of that inspection, he said.
Callie Enman, the couple’s daughter, lived in a basement apartment at the residence and had two dogs seized from her.
The charges alleged that Callie Enman “did intentionally, knowingly and recklessly deprive that animal of necessary sustenance, necessary medical attention, proper shelter, protection from the weather or humanely clean conditions,” according to the charges.
The charges came after an Aug. 2 police visit, when officers checked on the welfare of the animals at the home, according to a statement in court documents from officer Kerry Wolongevicz. Wolongevicz said that the animal control officer had previously investigated after a child residing at the property “had intentionally killed a puppy.”
The charges also alleged that Callie Enman “recklessly (endangered) the health, safety, or welfare of a child … by violating a duty of care protection.” Court records don’t detail why the child endangerment charge was filed, but the records do detail the filthy conditions on the property. Attempts to reach police and prosecutors Tuesday weren’t successful.
Robert, Nancy and adult son Kyle Enman each face 152 charges of animal cruelty. The three are scheduled for dispositional conferences April 25 and have a jury trial set for May 28 at Portland Superior Court. Callie Enman was scheduled to appear in court in Portland on June 27 for her dispositional conference.
Tuesday Midcoast Humane announced it had placed the last of the dogs taken from the Enman property, 9-year-old Chewie, with a new family. The animal shelter cared from the animals after seizure and, according to Marketing Manager Jane Siviski, has spent more than $70,000 on their care. One dog died after the seizure and 11 dogs were returned to Robert and Kyle Enman. Siviski said 35 total dogs and one bird have been adopted.
“One dog, Pecan, had puppies in our care, and they have been adopted as well,” Siviski said.
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