A Joshua Tree couple was arrested Tuesday after their two adult, special-needs sons were found living in deplorable conditions. Sheriff’s deputies were following up a tip about 10:30 a.m. Tuesday in the 4700 block of Avenida del Sol where they found Edward and Melinda Zeppenfeldt, 55, and 48, along with their two adult, dependent sons, who have Asperger’s and autism. Deputies found piles of garbage throughout the front, back, and side yards of the property. On the floor inside the home were trash, rat feces, dirt, and sharp objects; rat feces were also found inside the cabinets. The doors and walls of the home had significant damage, and electrical wires were exposed in one of the holes. One of the bedrooms had human feces covering the walls. Because the living conditions posed a significant health risk to the dependent sons, Edward and Melinda Zeppenfeldt were arrested for investigation of abuse of a dependent adult, booked into the West Valley Detention Center, with their bail set at $50,000 each.
