logo
Dog sitter escapes kidnapping after taking job from dog walking app, MA cops say

Dog sitter escapes kidnapping after taking job from dog walking app, MA cops say

Miami Herald17-07-2025
A Massachusetts man is charged with kidnapping a woman who accepted a dog walking job and went to his house, where police said a 'suspicious' incident occurred.
The woman told authorities that she works for a dog walking app and agreed to watch a woman's dogs for a few hours in Southbridge, about a 60-mile drive southwest from Boston, on July 11, the Southbridge Police Department said in a July 16 news release.
The other woman had reached out to her through the app, according to police.
When the dog sitter went to the home, she told authorities she was 'greeted' by a man and they went inside.
The home was dark, and there were seemingly no signs of any dogs or the woman who contacted her, according to the dog sitter, police said.
The man, Mark L. Miller, 62, of Southbridge, did not let the woman leave the house and 'asked her to go upstairs,' according to authorities.
He was 'positioned' by a door in the home 'to prevent her from leaving,' the woman reported, police said.
Miller is represented by attorney Nicholas Adamopoulos, who told McClatchy News via email on July 17 that 'at this time we have no comment pertaining to Mr. Miller's open matter beyond that Mr. Miller maintains his innocence and looks forward to proving his innocence throughout the upcoming proceedings.'
Out of fear, the woman escaped Miller's house and headed to the Southbridge police station, according to authorities, leading to an investigation.
Miller was arraigned on a kidnapping charge in Dudley District Court on July 14, police said. He is being held on a cash bail as of July 16.
According to court documents reviewed by The Boston Globe, the woman was expecting to watch dogs belonging to 'Carol M' on July 11.
Miller said 'Carol M' was his wife when he was interviewed by police, the newspaper reported.
The dog sitter accused Miller of not letting her leave his house for five minutes, including by physically blocking her from reaching the door, according to The Boston Globe, which cited court records.
The Southbridge Police Department did not specify which dog walking app the woman worked for. There are several apps for dog walking and pet sitting, including Wag! and Rover.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Woman steals Civil War-era gun, then opens fire, New Mexico officials say
Woman steals Civil War-era gun, then opens fire, New Mexico officials say

Miami Herald

time9 hours ago

  • Miami Herald

Woman steals Civil War-era gun, then opens fire, New Mexico officials say

A woman swiped a Civil War-era gun and then opened fire when the owner tried to get the weapon back, New Mexico officials said. Janice Kowalchuk was convicted of assault, burglary, larceny and negligent use of a deadly weapon charges after a trial, the Bernalillo County District Attorney's Office said in a July 23 post on Facebook. The 34-year-old faces 10–plus years behind bars when she's sentenced, prosecutors said. A sentencing date wasn't announced. McClatchy News reached out to her attorneys July 25 and was awaiting a response. Kowalchuk is accused of breaking into a van July 31, 2022, and making off with the 1860 Colt revolver, prosecutors said. 'When the victim confronted her and attempted to retrieve the firearm, Kowalchuk opened fire,' according to prosecutors. No injuries were reported. Bernalillo County includes Albuquerque.

City commissioner in Florida asked 12-year-old Illinois girl for nudes, cops say
City commissioner in Florida asked 12-year-old Illinois girl for nudes, cops say

Miami Herald

time17 hours ago

  • Miami Herald

City commissioner in Florida asked 12-year-old Illinois girl for nudes, cops say

An elected official in Florida is facing two dozen felony charges after a mom in Illinois reported he had been sexting her 12-year-old daughter over Snapchat, authorities said. St. Lucie County Sheriff Richard Del Toro Jr. announced July 24 that law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on Fort Pierce City Commissioner James Taylor, 38, and took him into custody. His arrest marks the culmination of a nearly yearlong investigation that began in August 2024 when the victim's mom filed a report with the Evanston Police Department, the sheriff said in a news conference. The mom of the now-13-year-old girl said a man had been inappropriately contacting her daughter over Snapchat beginning when she was 12, according to investigators. He sent her nude images of himself and asked her to do the same, Del Toro said. This went on for a couple months, investigators said. Detectives in Illinois traced the messages to a person in St. Lucie County and contacted the sheriff's office, which confirmed the suspect's IP address belonged to Taylor, the sheriff said. Investigators don't believe Taylor and the girl ever met in person. Taylor was pulled over during a traffic stop involving a 'ruse,' and was cooperating with detectives, according to the sheriff. 'I would say that he admitted his role in these and was very remorseful, obviously, I think mainly because he was caught,' Del Toro said. Taylor was elected Fort Pierce's District 2 commissioner in 2024 after serving on the county's planning and zoning commission for nearly a decade, according to his commissioner biography. He's involved in several local organizations, including the county's education board and theater advisory board. 'The City of Fort Pierce is aware of the recent arrest of Commissioner James Taylor,' a spokesperson for the city told McClatchy News in an email. 'We understand that this development may raise concerns within our community, and we want to reassure our residents that we remain committed to serving the public with integrity, transparency and accountability.' The 24 charges against Taylor include: transmission of materials harmful to minors by electronic equipmenttransfer or display of obscenity to a minorharmful communication to a minorlewd computer solicitationlewd computer solicitation of a child solicitation of transmission of child pornography by electronic device or equipment. Law enforcement officers are investigating whether there could be additional victims and ask anyone with information to come forward. Fort Pierce is about a 65-mile drive north from West Palm Beach.

Suffering dog was ‘dragged through a store' unresponsive. He needs a new home
Suffering dog was ‘dragged through a store' unresponsive. He needs a new home

Miami Herald

timea day ago

  • Miami Herald

Suffering dog was ‘dragged through a store' unresponsive. He needs a new home

A dog in Nevada is on the mend and learning to be more trusting after being in critical condition due to supposed heat stroke. According to The Animal Foundation in Las Vegas, Animal Protection Services was called to a scene at a grocery store where a 5-year-old dog named Baby Gage was found unresponsive, where witnesses 'saw him dragged through a store' and 'left in critical condition,' the shelter said in a July 22 Facebook post. Allison Ford, an employee for The Animal Foundation told McClatchy News, that Gage was left in the store during a smothering heat wave. 'A customer reported seeing him being dragged by his previous owner, though surveillance footage did not capture this directly, and the reporting party left before officers arrived,' the APS stated in its report, Ford said. 'What we can confirm is that when officers made contact, Baby Gage was lying on his side, not moving, and warm to the touch. His paw pads were raw and bleeding despite wearing booties, and he was showing signs consistent with heat stroke.' Ford said the pup's owner was unhoused and couldn't afford the care needed to help Gage, so he made the decision to surrender his dog in order to get help. 'Today, Baby Gage is doing so much better — he's made incredible progress and is slowly learning to trust again,' Ford said. 'He still shows signs of timidity, but once he warms up, he's affectionate, goofy, and truly a staff favorite.' Gage is a lovable pup who enjoys toys and bully rubs, his pet profile says. 'He walks beautifully on leash and lights up with every bit of praise—tell him he's a good boy, and you'll make his whole day!' his profile describes. 'Baby Gage thrives on encouragement, affection, and playtime, and he's eager to find someone who'll cheer him on as much as he'll cheer up your life.' Heatstroke signs in pets Pets should not be outside during the summer for even a short amount of time or their body temperature may rise to 106 degrees and could go into multiple organ failure if it rises higher. Signs of heatstroke in pets, per VCA Animal Hospitals, include: Elevated breathingAbnormal gum colorSleepinessDisorientationSeizures For more information on adoptable pets, visit the shelter's website.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store