Latest news with #AuburndalePoliceDepartment
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
A Man Allegedly Claimed His 'Severely Emaciated' Great Dane Was a 'Picky Eater.' Cops Say She's 'Grateful to Eat' After Rescue
Stella the Great Dane was rescued from an alleged animal cruelty situation in Florida on May 27, along with another dog At around 60 lbs. (about half of her recommended weight), Stella was "severely emaciated," crawling with fleas and visibly injured, but has since started to recover Stella's owner, Bradford Thomas, allegedly claimed she was a "picky eater," but deputies found that she ate plenty after her rescueWhen a Florida sheriff's office took custody of Stella the Great Dane, she was half her recommended weight and crawling with fleas. Now, she's 'eating like a champ.' The Polk County Sheriff's Office (PCSO) gained custody of Stella and another dog — a female terrier mix named Bella — from Bradford Thomas, who was arrested and charged with animal cruelty on suspicion of neglecting to care for them on May 27, according to a news release. Deputies with the PCSO made the visit after receiving word of a dog who 'was starving and in poor condition,' from the Auburndale Police Department, the press release states. Upon arrival, Thomas voluntarily surrendered the dogs, and they were both brought to the PCSO's Animal Control facility for treatment. When she was found, Bella, estimated to be around age 18 to 20, was allegedly suffering from severe flea dermatitis on her back, as well as hair loss. Meanwhile, Stella's condition worried deputies even more. The spotted gray Great Dane, estimated to be 8½ years old, 'appeared to be in severe pain,' according to the sheriff's office. She 'was severely emaciated, had multiple abrasions and scabs, was covered with fleas, and was suffering from severe pododermatitis (also known as bumblefoot) on all four paws," the PCSO said. A veterinary examination later revealed that she weighed just around 60 lbs. — about half of what she should weigh at her age and size, according to the PCSO. The last time she received veterinary care was in 2020, and at that time she weighed just 90 lbs. Stella's Body Condition Score — a tool used to determine if a dog is underweight — was an abysmal 1 out of 9, the vet staff determined. Thomas's 'excuse' for Stella's weight 'was that she was a picky eater' and 'didn't like to eat,' Deputy Jacob Durrance alleged in a May 29 update on the PCSO's Facebook page. Durrance strongly disagrees with this assessment. 'We fed her ourselves, and she was very grateful to eat. She ate a lot,' he said in the update video, adding that the pup 'was not a picky eater at all, like Mr. Thomas claimed she was.' In the two days following her rescue, Stella gained 8 lbs. thanks to 'proper diet and hydration,' the deputy revealed while petting the Great Dane. Plus, he added, 'you can obviously tell she loves to be loved on.' Her fleas and flea dirt have also been washed away since leaving Thomas' custody, but she still has a 'long road to recovery' ahead of her, Durrance said. 'We're excited for her prognosis. We think she'll get better,' he said. 'And hopefully, she can be adopted out when that day comes.' Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human-interest stories. Following his May 27 arrest, Thomas, the Public Utilities Director for the City of Auburndale, was charged with animal cruelty and aggravated animal cruelty. 'The dogs and their former owner will be getting the attention they need and deserve,' Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said in an official statement. 'For Bradford Thomas, this behavior is absolutely unacceptable.' 'It is incomprehensible that someone in his capacity as a senior manager in a reputable and responsible local government would do something like this—starving and causing such pain for an innocent animal,' Judd claimed. 'We will do everything we can to hold him criminally responsible. We will also do everything we can to get these dogs healthy and thriving." Both Stella and Bella, the sheriff concluded, "are off to a good start — we pray it's not too late and they respond to medical treatment, nourishment, and love.' Read the original article on People
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Yahoo
Auburndale mother arrested after lying to protect daughter accused in hit-and-run that left child hospitalized
The Brief An Auburndale mother was arrested after police said she lied to protect her daughter accused in a hit-and-run crash that left a 6-year-old child hospitalized. The 6-year-old was flown to Tampa General Hospital and is listed in stable condition. The daughter confessed to leaving the crash scene, because she only had a learner's permit. AUBURNDALE, Fla. - An Auburndale mother was arrested after police said she lied to protect her daughter accused in a hit-and-run crash that left a 6-year-old child hospitalized, according to police. The Auburndale Police Department said Shannon Hudson, 34, is accused of driving the vehicle involved in the hit-and-run crash, which is owned by her mother, Cheryl Alexander, 68. READ:Florida man claiming to be ICE agent arrested after threatening to deport 2 Hispanic men: MCSO What we know Officers said they responded to the crash just after 6:15 p.m. on Wednesday at the intersection of Reiter Drive and Robert Avenue in Auburndale. The crash involved a 6-year-old who was hit by a silver Mazda SUV, which left the crash scene but stayed in the neighborhood where it happened. The 6-year-old was flown to Tampa General Hospital and is listed in stable condition, officials said. Dig deeper Officers found the suspect's vehicle off of Robert Avenue, where they also found Alexander. She originally told Auburndale police that she didn't have any knowledge of the hit-and-run, but a piece of the vehicle's grill was found at the crash scene, which matched the SUV. Follow FOX 13 on YouTube Alexander then claimed that her daughter, Hudson, had been driving the vehicle, but said she left hours before the crash happened. However, police found more inconsistencies with Alexander's statements, which led to an APD sergeant asking to search her home. That's when Alexander confessed that Hudson was hiding inside the home and that she lied to protect her daughter from getting arrested, according to investigators. Hudson was found hiding in the bathroom, and she was identified as the hit-and-run driver by witnesses. She confessed to leaving the crash scene, because she only had a learner's permit, according to APD. Alexander was also arrested for providing police with false information during their investigation. The Source The information in this story was released by the Auburndale Police Department. STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 13 TAMPA: Download the FOX Local app for your smart TV Download FOX Local mobile app:Apple |Android Download the FOX 13 News app for breaking news alerts, latest headlines Download the SkyTower Radar app Sign up for FOX 13's daily newsletter
Yahoo
08-02-2025
- Yahoo
Boyfriend arrested in Georgia after killing Auburndale woman, lying about their whereabouts
The Brief The boyfriend of an Auburndale woman will be charged with murdering her inside her own home. Police originally began a missing person investigation, because the woman hadn't logged into her work computer for two days. They conducted a search warrant at her home, and she was found murdered. AUBURNDALE, Fla. - The boyfriend of an Auburndale woman will be charged with savagely killing her inside her own home, according to officers. Dig deeper Auburndale Police Department said they opened a missing persons investigation on Thursday, February 6, after Stacy Powell, 48, hadn't logged into her work computer for two days. They conducted a search warrant at her home on Alleria Court at the Estates of Auburndale, where they discovered she had been murdered. READ: Lakeland police to restart drone program after foreign surveillance concerns Her boyfriend, Andrew Ridgeway, 46, was arrested in Augusta, Georgia, where he had been found driving her pick-up truck. Auburndale Police Chief Terry Storie said Ridgeway lied to police about his and Powell's whereabouts. He claimed he was in North Carolina with Powell's grandmother, while Powell had been taking a trip to the Caribbean. "On February 5, Stacey had taken an Uber from the residence to the Orlando airport to fly to Jamaica and didn't know when she'd be back, because she was visiting an ill father," said Storie. "Stacey's father lives in North Carolina and not Jamaica and the grandmother lives in Auburndale." Follow FOX 13 on YouTube Ridgeway is charged with making a false report to law enforcement and homicide. Police do believe they may have a motive for the killing, but they're going to further question Ridgeway in Georgia. What you can do This is an ongoing investigation. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Auburndale Police Department at (863) 965-5555. The Source The information in this story was released by the Auburndale Police Department. WATCH FOX 13 NEWS: STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 13 TAMPA: Download the FOX Local app for your smart TV Download FOX Local mobile app:Apple |Android Download the FOX 13 News app for breaking news alerts, latest headlines Download the SkyTower Radar app Sign up for FOX 13's daily newsletter
