Cops: Holly Hill family lived with decomposing body for EBT benefits

Duo faces child endangerment charges

HOLLY HILL, Fla. – A Holly Hill couple is charged with child endangerment after deputies say they found a family of five living in a home with a decomposing body.

Police said the Department of Children and Families requested a well-being check for Tiffany Kain, 31, at the home on Center Avenue in Holly Hill

When police arrived, they found her body lying in a bedroom. Police said 38-year-old Todd La Duke, 32-year-old Nicole Scalise and a 4-year-old were living across the hall in a bedroom.

Police said the pair admitted to using Kain's EBT and social security benefits.

A 6-year-old and an 11-year-old also lived at the home, according to the report. All three children are in DCF custody.

Neighbors said Kain suffered from Spina Bifida and multiple sclerosis, and were shocked to hear of her death.

"It's frightening -- really frightening that people would do that to small children," one neighbor told Local 6.

"I don't know what to think about it," said another neighbor. "They had little kids in there with them. I saw the kids."

Many neighbors said they weren't surprised something had happened to her Kain because they hadn't seen her in more than a month.

A judge set $14,000 bond for Scalise and denied bond for LaDuke as he was on probabtion at the time he was arrested on charges of counterfeiting.


About the Author:

Erik Sandoval joined the News 6 team as a reporter in May 2013 and became an Investigator in 2020. During his time at News 6, Erik has covered several major stories, including the 2016 Presidential campaign. He was also one of the first reporters live on the air at the Pulse Nightclub shooting.