Kids, cats found riding in moving van

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INDIANAPOLIS, Nov. 29 (UPI) -- A Pennsylvania couple were arrested in Indiana for allegedly having five children and 18 cats ride in the back of a moving van, police said.

Indiana State Police charged David K. Detzen, 41, and Rebecca S. Detzen, 40, of Fairmount City with four felony counts of neglect of a dependent after allegedly finding their 18-year-old daughter and four other children, ages 9-17, in the cargo area of the rental truck Wednesday night, the Indianapolis Star reported. The couple were held in the Henry County Jail, the children turned over to Child Protective Services and the cats to animal control officials.

State police got involved after receiving a phone call from a relative of the family to alert them of the travel arrangements. Troopers caught up with the family at a truck stop off Interstate 70 near New Castle, the newspaper said.

The officers said the five children were in the cargo area along with the family's possessions. While they had sleeping bags, there was no heat and no way to communicate with their parents, the Star said. Besides the children in the back, troopers found two small children in the truck's cab.

The troopers said the couple told them the family was moving to California for a job opportunity.