Fox Lake parents charged after 3 children found in squalor

FOX LAKE -- A mother and father have been charged after their children were found living in unsanitary conditions, and child sexual abuse images were found in the father’s possession, police said.

Lake County Sheriff’s detectives received a tip from an online cloud storage website indicating a device in Lake County uploaded child sexual abuse images to their platform, according to a news release.

Sheriff’s detective began an investigation and based on that investigation, determined the likely source was coming from a residence on Woodland Avenue in Fox Lake.

On Aug. 14, Lake County Sheriff’s cybercrime detectives, members of the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office Cybercrime Unit, and members of the Sheriff’s Tactical Response Team conducted a search warrant at the home.

Investigators learned that a family was living in the basement of the home, including three children under the age of 3. The children’s father, Logan J. Jentink, 29, is believed to be responsible for downloading and possessing child sexual abuse images, police said.

Further investigation showed the three children were living in horrid conditions, including being forced to sleep on the cold concrete in the basement, which was covered in urine and animal feces, according to the release.

DCFS was contacted and the children were placed into the care of a different guardian.

Several animals, including iguanas, a bearded dragon, turtle, and two dogs were found to be in the basement, uncared for, some appearing close to death from malnourishment, according to the release. Lake County Animal Control responded and took custody of the animals.

Initially, Jentink was charged with five counts of cruel treatment to an animal and three counts of child endangerment. After the analysis of his cellular phone, detectives obtained an arrest warrant yesterday for seven counts of possessing child pornography.

Sheriff’s detectives also obtained an arrest warrant for the mother of the children, Sandra J. Zaluski, 23, of the same residence, for three counts of child endangerment and five counts of cruel treatment to an animal.