California Parents Arrested After Toddlers Found in Cage-like Crib Setup

TULELAKE, Calif. – The parents of two toddler boys in cribs which were set up like dog cages were arrested on multiple charges on Friday.

Authorities said that earlier in the week a California Highway Patrol officer went to the home in order to sign off on a fix-it ticket at the home. When he arrived he noticed that there were shell casings on the property. He reported his finding to the Modoc County Sheriff’s Department, which led to a search warrant.

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The Madoc County Sheriff’s Office, along with the CHP and Malin Police department served a search warrant at the home in the 3000 block of C/R 101 in Modoc County on Sunday afternoon. When searching the home the deputies located three firearms, ammunition, evidence of a butane honey oil lab, suspected methamphetamine, and approximately 2-year-old boys in two separate cribs, modified and secured to the wall like “dog crates”, Sheriff’s officials said.

The two boys were taken into protective custody by the Modoc County Child Protective Services. Both parents, Ramon Alberto Zendejas, 25, and Mercadies Irene Williams, 25, of Tulelake, California, were arrested and transported to the Modoc County Jail.

Zendejas was booked into jail for being a prohibited person in possession of firearms, prohibited person in possession of ammunition, possession of a controlled substance, manufacturing a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, and child endangerment. He is being held in lieu of $10,000 bail.

Williams was booked for a prohibited person in possession of firearms, prohibited person in possession of ammunition, and child endangerment. She is also being held in lieu of $10,000 bail.