Woman Arrested After Leaving 134 Cats in U-Haul: Police
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
A woman has been arrested and charged with 93 counts of animal cruelty after being accused of leaving 106 cats in a U-Haul in California, police said.
Jeannie Maxon, 69, was arrested after the Merced County Sheriff's Office responded to a call about distressed cats inside a U-Haul in a Taco Bell parking lot in Santa Nella, southeast of San Francisco, on June 29.
Maxon was booked into the Merced County Jail. The investigation into the incident is ongoing.
The Merced County Sheriff's Office has been contacted for comment via email outside of regular office hours. It was not clear at time of writing whether Maxon had an attorney.
Merced County Sheriff's Office officer handling one of the rescued cats.
Merced County Sheriff's Office officer handling one of the rescued cats.
Merced County Sheriff's Office
Why It Matters
The Merced County Sheriff's Office is reminding people that it can be very dangerous to keep pets inside of a locked car in the summer, even for short periods of time.
Santa Nella reached highs of 99 degrees Fahrenheit on June 29, the day the cats were found, which can be deadly for animals trapped inside a vehicle.
What To Know
Deputy Ross of the Merced County Sheriff's Office arrived at the Taco Bell parking lot to see at least 20 cats inside of the van's window in clear distress, the sheriff's office said in a statement posted on Facebook alongside pictures, the link of which can be found here. Warning: These images may be disturbing to some readers.
When the vehicle was opened, there were "106 extremely emaciated cats, as well as 28 deceased cats. No food or water was located inside the vehicle." The cats ranged from ages of one week to 8 years old.
The surviving cats were then taken to the Merced County Animal Shelter for treatment with help from the Atwater Veterinary Center.
What People Are Saying
Merced County Sheriff's Office said on Facebook: "The Merced County Sheriff's Office would like to remind the public that leaving any animal in a vehicle during the summer months is very dangerous. On a warm day, temperatures inside a car can soar to extreme levels in just a few minutes, even with the windows open. This can lead to heatstroke, dehydration, and even death of the animal left inside.
"Please ensure that when you're traveling with your pet, they're provided with a cool place to stay, offering plenty of shade, lots of water, and food."
What Happens Next
The cats will be available for adoption once they are medically cleared. The Merced County Animal Shelter is to provide updates on its webpage.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Muskogee police reports 07.03.25
Burglaries 545 N. Sixth St., July 1, illegal entry without permission. 4422 W. Okmulgee Ave., July 1, property removed from vehicle. Thefts 236 Kendall Blvd., June 19-30, credit/debit card used by someone other than account holder. Walmart, 1000 W. Shawnee Bypass, June 30, shoplifting. Taco Bell, 2402 E. Shawnee Bypass, June 30, deception. Vandalism 2404 Love St., June 28, property.
4 days ago
9-year-old Texas girl dies in hot car while mother was at work: Police
A 9-year-old girl has died in after she was intentionally left alone in a hot car while her mom was at work, according to Harris County, Texas, Sheriff Ed Gonzalez. The girl's 36-year-old mother left the child unattended in a white Toyota Camry on Tuesday from approximately 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. while she worked at a manufacturing plant in Galena Park, Texas, near Houston, the sheriff's office said during a press conference. The mother left the child with some water, partially rolled down the windows of the vehicle and then "proceeded to go to work for the day," officials said. "There's never an excuse to leave a child unattended," Gonzalez said during the press conference. Upon returning to the vehicle later in the afternoon when her shift ended, the mother found her daughter unresponsive. Law enforcement was contacted at approximately 2:06 p.m. and detained the mother, officials said. Temperatures in the Houston area reached around 93 degrees Fahrenheit on Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service. The child was transported to a local hospital, where she was pronounced dead, officials said. Detectives continue to speak with the mother to gain more insight on why the child was kept in the car and the exact timeline of how long she was alone in the vehicle, the sheriff said. Officials are also waiting to receive the child's autopsy results before deciding whether to press any charges. Gonzalez said the incident, "which could have been prevented," is a "unique" situation, since most hot car deaths are typically an accident. "Maybe she has to make ends meet and keep food on the table and work. But the risk of death or harm -- there's just no reconciling that in my mind. You got to make other arrangements. It's not worth it to put a child at risk like this, for any particular reason," Gonzalez said. He went on to say that nothing at this point shows that the mother "thought this would be the outcome." This tragedy marks the third hot car death to occur in Texas in the last four days and at least the 13th child to die in a hot car nationwide this year, according to Kids and Car Safety, an organization focused on "saving the lives of children and pets in and around vehicles."
Newsweek
4 days ago
- Newsweek
Woman Arrested After Leaving 134 Cats in U-Haul: Police
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A woman has been arrested and charged with 93 counts of animal cruelty after being accused of leaving 106 cats in a U-Haul in California, police said. Jeannie Maxon, 69, was arrested after the Merced County Sheriff's Office responded to a call about distressed cats inside a U-Haul in a Taco Bell parking lot in Santa Nella, southeast of San Francisco, on June 29. Maxon was booked into the Merced County Jail. The investigation into the incident is ongoing. The Merced County Sheriff's Office has been contacted for comment via email outside of regular office hours. It was not clear at time of writing whether Maxon had an attorney. Merced County Sheriff's Office officer handling one of the rescued cats. Merced County Sheriff's Office officer handling one of the rescued cats. Merced County Sheriff's Office Why It Matters The Merced County Sheriff's Office is reminding people that it can be very dangerous to keep pets inside of a locked car in the summer, even for short periods of time. Santa Nella reached highs of 99 degrees Fahrenheit on June 29, the day the cats were found, which can be deadly for animals trapped inside a vehicle. What To Know Deputy Ross of the Merced County Sheriff's Office arrived at the Taco Bell parking lot to see at least 20 cats inside of the van's window in clear distress, the sheriff's office said in a statement posted on Facebook alongside pictures, the link of which can be found here. Warning: These images may be disturbing to some readers. When the vehicle was opened, there were "106 extremely emaciated cats, as well as 28 deceased cats. No food or water was located inside the vehicle." The cats ranged from ages of one week to 8 years old. The surviving cats were then taken to the Merced County Animal Shelter for treatment with help from the Atwater Veterinary Center. What People Are Saying Merced County Sheriff's Office said on Facebook: "The Merced County Sheriff's Office would like to remind the public that leaving any animal in a vehicle during the summer months is very dangerous. On a warm day, temperatures inside a car can soar to extreme levels in just a few minutes, even with the windows open. This can lead to heatstroke, dehydration, and even death of the animal left inside. "Please ensure that when you're traveling with your pet, they're provided with a cool place to stay, offering plenty of shade, lots of water, and food." What Happens Next The cats will be available for adoption once they are medically cleared. The Merced County Animal Shelter is to provide updates on its webpage.
