A disturbing investigation is underway in Elkhart County.
Police are looking for your help tonight after dead animals were found at a farm.
This is not the first time the property owner has faced citations and charges related to animals.
A barn on US 20 is at the center of this investigation.
Two neighbors say they were driving by and saw animals in the road.
While trying to help to get the animals back on the property, they were shocked by what they found.
When the neighbors drove by the property in Bristol, they both had the same thought: Stop and get the animals out of the road.
That is when they realized this was much more than escaped animals.
“We did find decaying carcass and that was pretty awful to smell – the animals were pretty frightened. I think they had a sense that something was not good,” said an anonymous neighbor.
After calling police and unsuccessfully trying to get in touch with the owner of the property, they secured the animals, they also documented the conditions inside and shared those videos with WSBT.
“Something needs to be done with all of them. I want to know who is feeding them and when and how often and are they going to leave them there? You can't leave the animals to fend for themselves because they can't fend for themselves,” said Connie, lives nearby.
A public records request with the Indiana State Board of Animal Health shows this is not the first time the owner of the property, Josiah Wingard, has been in trouble for similar conditions.
The Elkhart County Sheriff's Office has an active felony warrant for failure to dispose of dead animals unrelated to this situation.
The State Board of Animal Health investigated an incident in 2021. During that investigation, poultry and one goat was removed from the property.
A year ago, a separate investigation found several violations including improper disposal of dead animals, failure to provide proper veterinary care, and dealing livestock without a license.
“There had been another time we drove by and saw a carcass there and two or three days later we stopped and informed them,” said a neighbor.
“It is an ongoing problem, and I don’t understand why we can't shut them down,” said Connie.
The Elkhart County Sheriff is working with the Humane Society and is now investigating the care and proper disposal of dead animals.
Police confirm they found a dead horse and goat on the property when they investigated Thursday.
So far, police have not located Wingard.
Neighbors have a plea for him:
Please hand over the animals. It is obvious that you don’t have a heart for taking care of them the way they need it please let the animals be released to someone who would love them.
As of right now, the State Board of Animal Health is not taking part in this week's investigation.
Anyone with information on Wingard's whereabouts should contact the Elkhart County Sheriff’s Office.