- New Jersey, USA -
On Tuesday, February 16, Scotch Plains Police Department Chief Ted Conley, Plainfield Police Department Director Lisa Burgess, and acting Union County Prosecutor Lyndsay V. Ruotolo jointly announced that 19-year-old AIDEN R. TURSO has been criminally charged with multiple animal cruelty offenses.
In a press release Ruotolo said that the charges came after two dogs and a cat suffered severe neglect resulting in the death of two furbabies
According to the press release, on Tuesday, November 3, 2020, Plainfield Police Department responded to the area of Rock Avenue on a report of a suspicious item dumped on the side of the road.
Officers found the lifeless body of a severely emaciated Pitbull inside a plastic bag.
Plainfield Area Humane Society assisted with the investigation, along with Plainfield Police Department Sgt. Candace Grant, and Scotch Plains Police Department Detective Theodore Florio.
The investigation determined that TURSO had two dogs and a cat who suffered severe neglect.
A dog named Jax was surrendered to the Humane Society in an emaciated condition later in November.
A cat named Buddy was euthanized in late December after being taken to a local veterinarian in a comatose state, emaciated and covered in fleas.
The Pitbull found deceased in the bag, Cinnamon, was also severely neglected.
TURSO, of the 300 block of Valleyscent Avenue, is charged with two counts of third-degree failure to provide necessary care to an animal, leading to her death; two counts of fourth-degree animal cruelty offenses; and fourth degree hindering apprehension.
As per the press release, TURSO “was served the criminal charges against him via summons earlier this month, with an initial appearance scheduled to take place in Union County Superior Court 8:30 a.m. on the morning of Friday, February 19.”
Acting Prosecutor Ruotolo said: “We hope these charges send a clear message to anyone who needs to hear it – this sort of conduct isn’t just wrong, it’s criminal.”
Convictions on third-degree crimes can be punishable by 3 to 5 years in state prison.
Once again, Voice For Us wants to stress that ultimately judges have the power to “send a clear message!”
All the efforts made by law enforcement and the Humane Society to investigate and bring this case to court will be in vain and ridiculed if the judge does not hand down an exemplary sentence!!!
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