News

Hillsboro couple charged after children and pets found to be living in deplorable conditions

Hillsboro couple charged after children and pets found to be living in deplorable conditions

Photo courtesy of the Hillsboro Police Department Photo: Saga Communications


HILLSBORO, N.H.- Police say a couple is facing a number of charges after officers investigating a claim of child neglect say they and their children were living in squalor.

According to Police Joseph Tafuri, 34, and Leanna Marsar,33, were arrested on June 4,2026 after officers executing a search warrant discovered what’s being described as unsanitary conditions consistent with long-term neglect; as officers say they found a significant accumulation of waste and decaying materials throughout the home, including large quantities of trash even in the children’s bedrooms.

Authorities note that mold growth was widespread throughout the home, covering large portions of the ceilings and walls.

It was during that time police located what’s being described as narcotic-related paraphernalia inside the home.

Due to the conditions of the home the town’s Code Enforcement Office has since condemned the residence.

Out of this incident Police note that the couple’s two daughters, one described as somewhere between the ages of 3&4 and the other between 6&7 have since been placed in the custody of the New Hampshire Division of Children, Youth and Families, while the family’s pets have since been rehomed with the help of the SPCA.

Following their arrest Tafuri was charged with Endangering the Welfare of a Child, Cruelty to Animals, and Prohibited Conduct, which authorities say is connected to the narcotic-related paraphernalia; while Marsar was charged with Endangering the Welfare of a Child, Cruelty to Animals, and Prohibited Conduct for the narcotic-related paraphernalia; and Falsifying Physical Evidence.

According to a press release from Hillsboro Police the investigation into this case remains on-going.

Recent Headlines

22 hours ago in National

Man pleads guilty to killing a top Minnesota Democrat and her husband while posing as an officer

A Minnesota man who pounded on Democratic lawmakers' doors in the middle of the night while posing as a police officer, killing the state House speaker and her husband and wounding a state senator and his wife, pleaded guilty to murder Thursday so that federal prosecutors would not seek the death penalty.

1 day ago in National

Opening of Canada-US bridge that Trump threatened to block is delayed over unresolved ‘issues’

The opening of a Canadian-U.S. bridge across the Detroit River that President Donald Trump previously threatened to block was delayed on Thursday due to unresolved issues.

2 days ago in National, Trending

Inflation hits 3-year high, highlighting affordability challenge for Americans

Rising gas prices pushed inflation to its highest level in three years last month, a headache for the Federal Reserve and a potential political challenge for the Trump administration as midterm elections near.

3 days ago in National, Trending

NASA unveils Artemis III astronauts to test technology for a future moon landing

NASA on Tuesday revealed the crew for its Artemis III mission, the next step in the space agency's plan to eventually land astronauts on the moon. The announcement came two months after Artemis II's record-breaking trip around the moon that surpassed the distance record of Apollo 13.

3 days ago in National

FDA OKs first new sunscreen ingredient in more than 25 years

Federal health regulators on Tuesday signed off on the first new sunscreen ingredient for the U.S. market in more than 25 years, giving Americans access to a skin-protecting chemical long used in Europe and other parts of the world.