A woman already at the center of Bledsoe County’s sweeping animal‑hoarding investigation is now facing an additional criminal charge—this time involving the welfare of a person found inside her home.
Newly obtained court records show Caroline Ruth Adkins has been charged not only with aggravated animal cruelty, but also with abuse of a vulnerable person. Investigators say the second charge stems from what deputies discovered while executing a search warrant Tuesday at Adkins’ residence in Pikeville.
According to affidavits, deputies found a man inside the home who relies on a wheelchair. They reported he was unable to leave the residence on his own because the interior conditions were so unsanitary and unsafe that the home was considered unlivable. Bledsoe County EMS was called to evaluate him, and he was later transported to Erlanger Bledsoe Hospital for further care.
