Newton Falls woman charged after dog, cat found dead in home

Two animals, a dog and a cat, were found dead in a mobile home on Kings Drive in Newton Township on Sunday afternoon, March 17, according to a report from the Trumbull County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies met the caretaker of the animals, who appeared upset, and dispatchers said she had been hyperventilating. The woman said she had been taking care of the one dog named Little and the cat named Cookie since the beginning of the year when her son had been arrested.

The report stated the cat was found in the back of the home in a trash can while the dog was lying on the kitchen floor near multiple blankets that were covered with blood stains and feces. The dog had a pool of dried blood that appeared to have come from its rectum, the report stated. Deputies noted the dog appeared to be very malnourished.

The woman said she last saw the animals alive and fed them about a week and a half ago. She said the animals had lost a lot of weight because they were drinking from the tap water in the home. She said since this, she had given the animals bottled water for the last few weeks.

The woman told deputies she hadn’t been caring for the animals recently because she had “business” to take care of.

The fire department checked for a gas leak or traces of carbon monoxide or sulfur around the outside of the home. The report stated that nothing was detected.

The 63-year-old woman was arrested and charged with two counts of prohibition concerning companion animals. The charge is a fifth-degree felony punishable by up to one year in prison.

Newton Falls Municipal Court records show that a preliminary hearing for is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. March 26.