Animals to be used for sacrifice neglected
San Antonio, TX (US)Incident Date: Sunday, Apr 22, 2007
County: Bexar
Disposition: Alleged
Alleged:
» Diana Patricia Martinez
» Lee Nelly Morales
San Antonio police have arrested two women, charging the two were keeping various birds and turtles in cages without food or water, for use in religious sacrifices.
Sunday morning, police responded to a home and business in the 2900 block of West Commerce on a report of an injured rooster being kept in a cage with no water or food.
Officers said a woman in the home, 39-year-old Diana Patricia Martinez, would only talk to them through a bathroom window.
As they got closer to the home, police said they found a pigeon with its heart cut out, and other cages holding chickens, hens, pigeons and turtles.
Police said Martinez then came out to explain the injured rooster, telling police the bird got into a fight with another animal.
However, officers said, as they entered the home, they found evidence that Martinez sacrifices animals for religious purposes, and then eats them. In fact, police said the woman was dissecting a chicken when they responded to the call.
Police arrested Martinez and another woman, 39-year-old Lee Nelly Morales, on charges of animal cruelty and neglect, stemming from the animals' lack of food or water.
Animal control officers were called to the house, where they collected nine hens, seven chickens, two roosters, two pigeons and three turtles. References« TX State Animal Cruelty Map
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