- Illinois, USA -
~ UPDATE: January 24, 2022
On Thursday, January 20, EMILY A. CHESTERFIELD (pictured below), pleaded guilty to misdemeanor animal cruelty.
CHESTERFIELD is accused of maltreating fourteen dogs, three of whom died.
CHESTERFIELD, who now lives in Carpentersville, accepted a sentence of 24 months of probation and two days in jail.
A felony charge of aggravated animal cruelty was dropped.
Daily Herald reports that CHESTERFIELD “cannot have any pets during probation -- including reptiles, birds and fish -- and Kane County Animal Control is to check her home once a month to make sure of that.”
CHESTERFIELD also has to give $1,000 to the Anderson Humane animal shelter, have another psychological evaluation, and undergo counseling with a hoarding-disorder specialist.
If CHESTERFIELD violates probation, she could be resentenced to up to only one year in jail.
According to Daily Herald, CHESTERFIELD told Kane County Judge Alice Tracy: “I'm very disappointed about what I did, and I am taking steps to make sure it never happens again.”
Another resident of the home, WILLIAM CHESTERFIELD who was also charged, has his case pending.
~ Original story:
27-year-old EMILY A. CHESTERFIELD (pictured below), of South Elgin faces animal cruelty charges after authorities found three dead dogs and many others malnourished at her home.
Kane County Connects reports that on May 29, a deputy with the Kane County Sheriff’s Office was dispatched to a property on 7N104 West Drive (also listed as 1084 West Drive) in St Charles Township to investigate a report of an animal hoarding situation.
No one answered the door, so the deputy went back the following day, Saturday, May 30.
Outside the residence, the deputy noticed a bag that was partially open and inside there were the remains of what appeared to be a small dog.
The deputy then discovered another dead dog outside the property and once he made contact with the person inside the home, another dead dog was discovered inside.
Kane County Animal Control were called in and a veterinarian also responded to the scene.
Inside the property nine dogs were found in varying degrees of health and animal control took them all away.
On Thursday, June 4, Kane County Animal Control and a Sheriff’s deputy went back to the property to serve a search warrant at the home.
During the search, a dog was discovered alive but in a state of neglect and animal control took the furbaby away from the property.
The search also led to the discovery of a bearded dragon, an Australian lizard in the genus Pogona.
Investigators determined that a relative of the woman identified as WILLIAM CHESTERFIELD, was living in the makeshift room in the garage and was responsible for the care of the dog.
He was charged with two MISDEMEANOR counts of failure to supply proper food and water.
WILLIAM CHESTERFIELD is scheduled to be in court on July 10.
The woman at that point was at large but she turned herself in on Tuesday, June 9.
She was released after posting a meager $500 bond.
She is scheduled to appear in court on June 23.
CBS Chicago reports that neighbors were not at all surprised about dogs being found dead and malnourished as they have been reporting animal abuse for years and asked the news agency to find out why it took so long.
Ms. Lauren Victory, a CBS Chicago reporter, went to Kane County Animal Control but the doors were locked because of Covid-19. She called KCAC Director Brett Youngsteadt but he wasn’t available. She then emailed him and he acknowledged over email that officers had been to CHESTERFIELD’s home on “several occasions” and “not actually witnessed any poor living conditions until recently.” He also said, “the exterior of the house is well kept” and then added that animal control officers have no policing power.
At that point Ms. Victory went to talk to Kane County Sheriff Ron Hain who said: “We can’t just walk in a people’s home if we can’t make observation from the outside.”
Voice For Us Disclaimer: This story is sourced from official news outlets. Links included.
Details may be removed or additional information may be provided in future should such sources report an update.
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