Walsenberg woman arrested on outstanding warrant and child abuse, found hiding in false wall in trailer

WALSENBERG, Colo. (KRDO) - A Walsenberg woman was arrested by Huerfano County Sheriffs on multiple charges, including an outstanding warrant, and charges of child abuse after hiding from law enforcement in a false wall within her trailer home.

On Thursday, August 17, Huerfano County deputies arrived to a trailer on East Grand Street in the city of Walsenberg -- where they found 62-year old Timothy Crouch dead in front of his home after reports he collapsed with labored breathing.

Upon hearing about the news, one of Mr. Crouch's children -- who no longer lived with her father -- asked deputies to return to the home, alleging that there were still siblings being abused there, as well as children with special needs that were under her fathers care.

Deputies then learned after identifying Mr. Crouch -- that he was married to Martha Crouch, who had a felony warrant in New Mexico for her arrest, after violating her probation on child abuse charges in December of 2021.

Martha Crouch had pleaded guilty to felony counts of child and animal abuse, dating back to 2019 -- a case where she was allegedly responsible for severe physical and mental abuse towards her children.

Including one daughter being chained to a bed, and an incident where Martha was alleged to have boiled four puppies, while forcing her children to watch, and shooting one of her children's dog as punishment.

However, according to reports by the Farmington Daily Times, the extreme cruelty to animals and obstruction of investigation of child abuse charges related to her case were dismissed. They reported that the prosecutor told the court they had no physical evidence to present in regards to the allegation of boiling puppies, and had only one testimony for that allegation, therefor they had the charges dismissed.

With the new knowledge, and concern over the other children inside, and wanting to know Martha's whereabouts, deputies then returned to the trailer home with a warrant later Thursday afternoon.

However before they entered, one of the adult children explained to deputies that they had been told their mother died years ago, and one of their younger siblings had been missing for approximately three years.

Deputies went inside anyway -- and while acting on a tip from a neighbor, discovered a false wall in the kitchen, where they then found Martha and her 14-year-old daughter, the same one that deputies were told had been missing. 

Crouch was taken in on the outstanding warrant from 2021 for violating her probation, and is now facing new charges for misdemeanor child abuse and for obstructing deputies during their search operation.

Crouch is being held in Huerfano County jail on a $5,000 cash bond, with a court date yet to be determined.

It's unclear if Crouch will be extradited to New Mexico due to the previous warrant.