- Montana, USA -
~ Update: July 12, 2022
Flathead County District Court Judge Robert B. Allison dismissed the case of 69-years-old CYNTHIA JEAN HAMILTON (pictured).
HAMILTON had been arrested in January 2022, and charged with aggravated animal cruelty following an investigation started in September 2021, into horse abuse and neglect.
On June 30, 2022, HAMILTON signed a bill of sale “relinquishing her ownership in the horses to the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office”, resulting in prosecutors to file a motion to dismiss the case on July 1, 2022.
On the same day, Judge Allison dismissed the case, “vacating a trial that was originally scheduled to begin July 11”, reports Flathead Beacon.
~ Update: February 6, 2022
On Thursday, February 3, CYNTHIA JEAN HAMILTON (pictured below) appeared in Flathead County District Court in Kalispell before Judge Robert B. Allison for her arraignment hearing and pleaded not guilty to one felony count of aggravated animal cruelty.
HAMILTON, of Norco, California, is accused of starving seventeen (17) innocent horses.
HAMILTON is expected to go to trial in July 2022.
If convicted, HAMILTON could face a maximum sentence of only two years in the Department of Corrections and/or a fine of $2,500.
HAMILTON is represented by public defender Liam Gallagher.
She remains out of custody.
As reported by Flathead Beacon, “The horses will remain in the county’s care until court proceedings are finished and authorities are requesting donations of grass hay or light alfalfa grass hay. Flathead County Sheriff Brian Heino estimates that each horse consumes half a ton to one ton of hay per month, the costs of which the county must cover.”
~ Original story:
Following an investigation which started in September 2021, into horse abuse and neglect at a residence in the Columbia Falls area, 68-years-old CYNTHIA JEAN HAMILTON (pictured below) has been arrested and charged with aggravated animal cruelty.
On September 19, Flathead County Animal Control was sent to a home in the Columbia Falls area for an animal cruelty complaint involving several horses.
Responding Animal Wardens saw there were five horses they believed were not being fed adequately.
As a result of the investigation, it came to light that the horses’ guardian, HAMILTON, had more horses being pastured in different addresses around Flathead County.
Flathead County Sheriff’s Office detectives obtained a search warrant for the pastures and seized a total of seventeen horses all in various stages of starvation and other health issues.
It was also reported that one horse may have died prior to the initial report.
Flathead Beacon reports that according to charging documents, the veterinarian who conducted physical exams on ten horses, concluding they all had below average body scores and all had parasites, which required “a strong course of treatment.”
Records state HAMILTON told the authorities that she could not afford to feed the animals.
The horses are in the care of Flathead County Animal Control and will remain until court proceedings are finished.
Authorities are requesting donations of grass hay or light alfalfa grass hay.
If you are in the position to donate, please email county officials and let them know. Thank you!
On December 30, HAMILTON, of Norco, California, was booked into the Flathead County Detention Center.
Online records show that HAMILTON is no longer in custody and has a court date scheduled for February 3, 2022.
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Details may be removed or additional information may be provided in future should such sources report an update.
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