- Indiana, USA -
On Tuesday, September 19, 2023, the Noble County Sheriff’s Department arrested 54-years-old DARLEEN DENISE CERVANTES (pictured).
According to court documents, on the morning of September 1, 2023, Lawrence Kirsch called the sheriff’s department to report two deceased puppies on his property at 1383 E. Baseline Road in Albion. Mr. Kirsch explained that the puppies were CERVANTES’, his tenant.
When deputies responded to the scene, Mr. Kirsch explained that in February of this year, he let CERVANTES set up her camper on his property to supplement his income and let her bring twelve (12) dogs.
Mr. Kirsch went on to say that between June and July there were more dogs on the property and that CERVANTES was not properly caring for them. Moreover, Mr. Kirsch told deputies that CERVANTES had been away from the property for about two weeks while she was staying with a friend in Huntertown.
Mr. Kirsch’s daughter was also present and she expressed her concern for the dogs because she said they were “real skinny”.
Conservation officers were called in and an investigation into these reports was launched.
In cages and kennels located in various stalls, investigators found more than twenty-five dogs, a raccoon, and two emaciated foxes. There were also empty bags of dog food and buckets of dirty water.
According to WFFT, investigators found two dogs, a Pointer and a Bernese Mountain, in a kennel with no food or water.
In a closed shed, they found many animal cages, large amounts of dirt, and feces.
Additionally, investigators found two female Bulldogs, a male yellow Labrador, two female Belgian Malinois, four female and one male Anatolian Shepherd/Pyrenees mixed puppies approximately nine months old, an adult female Rottweiler and five puppies approximately three or four weeks old, and three male Belgian Malinois.
Authorities said none of the dogs had any food or water.
One of the kennels contained four Belgian Malinois puppies, approximately four months old. Sadly, two of them were found lifeless. The puppies’ fur was matted with blood, feces, and dirty water.
In a room with very little light, officials found a male Pitbull mix in a very small kennel, a male Border Collie mix in a dog pen zip-tied shut, and a female Australian Shepherd locked in a kennel.
Authorities reported that none of these dogs had enough room to move around or stand and that they were forced to lay on their own feces.
Officials then called in a few organizations for assistance with removing the Voiceless Victims.
Northern Indiana Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation took custody of the raccoon and foxes.
Michelle Bobay, President of the Shadarobah Horse Rescue, told 21Alive the organization took in eleven dogs. Among them are the two surviving Belgian Malinois puppies who were examined by a vet and it was determined they had Parvo. That is suspected to have killed the other two puppies.
21Alive reports that Tracie Mullins, Executive Director at the Humane Society of Noble County, took in fifteen dogs “in hopes of nursing them back to health.”
According to WFFT, authorities called CERVANTES to inform her that they removed the animals. When they asked CERVANTES for proof that the animals were hers, she denied all of them were hers and said that her animals were the ones in the shed because it had a working air conditioner.
CERVANTES told deputies she would go to the station to give a statement on September 7, 2023, but on that day, she called to advise deputies that she had gotten a lawyer and would not provide a statement.
CERVANTES is charged with twenty-six (26) misdemeanor counts of cruelty to an animal. At time of writing, she is being held at the Noble County Jail.
Court records show that CERVANTES’ next court hearing is slated for November 6, 2023, at 10:15 a.m. before Judge Steven C. Hagen.
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CERVANTES’ mugshots provided to Voice For Us by the Noble County Jail.
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