Police: Woman Abandoned 3 Dogs, Left Them To Die In Vacant Ocean County Home
LACEY, N.J. (CBS/AP) — A woman who allegedly abandoned three dogs that were found dead at a vacant Ocean County home this month is now charged with animal cruelty. Prosecutors say Allissa DeStefano was responsible for caring for the dogs and had left them alone for an unspecified amount of time, but it's not clear if she owned the dogs.
"During the evening hours of November 11, 2019, the Lacey Township Police Department responded to a residence in Lacey Township for a report that dogs had possibly been abandoned in the residence. Upon arrival, the officers determined that the house was indeed abandoned, and the remains of three dogs were discovered," police and prosecutors said in a joint press release.
A telephone number for the 29-year-old Toms River woman could not be located, and it wasn't known Friday if she's retained an attorney. She was arrested Thursday and released on a summons.
It's not clear how long they had been in the home before their bodies were discovered.
(© Copyright 2019 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)