Edgewater police are investigating a possible case of animal abuse involving children.
Neighbors near 20th Avenue and Otis Street reportedly saw two kids tossing a small brown puppy back and forth like a football on the afternoon of Feb 24, 2006. The neighbors took the puppy away and took it to the Wheatridge Animal Hospital.
The puppy is just 3 weeks old and veterinarians say it only has a 30 percent chance of survival.
Police are trying to find the children involved in this case. They could face felony animal abuse charges. Case UpdatesA 3-week-old Pekingese puppy that died Saturday had fluid build- up around the lungs, a choking injury "consistent with being thrown in the air and caught," a veterinarian said in a court affidavit. That matches what 19-year-old Desirae McGee told Edgewater police, but she still faces a charge of false reporting. Neighbors told police the puppy belonged to McGee, and police obtained a warrant to search the home of her parents in the 2000 block of Otis Street, according to a Jefferson County Court affidavit filed.
McGee and her 3-month-old baby, as well as her younger brother and sister, voluntarily left their parents' home after police found it to be unsanitary, spokesman Mike Marchese said. Marchese said police will pursue animal cruelty charges if veterinarians at Colorado State University determine the puppy's death wasn't accidental. | Source: Rocky Mountain News - March 2, 2006
Update posted on Mar 26, 2006 - 8:52AM |
Police have seized three puppies, two dogs and three cats from the home. Desirae McGee and her 3-month-old baby, as well as her younger brother and sister, voluntarily left their parents' home after police found it to be unsanitary, spokesman Mike Marchese said.
McGee faces one count of child abuse; her parents, Christine, 39, and Michael, 38, face two counts of child abuse. Police issued them summonses but did not take them into custody.
Marchese said police will pursue animal cruelty charges if veterinarians at Colorado State University determine the puppy's death wasn't accidental. | Source: Rocky Mountain News - March 2, 2006
Update posted on Mar 7, 2006 - 3:20PM |
The case of a crushed 1-pound puppy has taken some complicated turns. Three people have been charged with child abuse, and police have found that the puppy was accidentally killed by a 14-year-old developmentally disabled teen. The case of the dead Pekingese mix yielded a police investigation that resulted in child abuse charges against 19-year-old Desirae McGee and her parents, Michael McGee, 38, and Christine McGee, 39.
"The child abuse charges are results of the conditions of the home when the search warrant was executed February 26, 2006," Edgewater, Colo., police spokesman Mike Marchese told Denver's ABC affiliate KMGH Channel 7. Police removed eight animals from the home, including cats, dogs, kittens and puppies. They are being housed at a shelter in Edgewater. Desirae McGee first said that she rescued the puppy from two teens who were tossing what she thought was a football. She said when she got closer, she realized it was an animal. McGee said that she grabbed the Pekingese from them and that the boys ran away. She took the puppy to Wheat Ridge Animal Hospital, where efforts to save it failed. Veterinarians said the puppy had internal injuries and breathing problems. Police executed a search warrant at McGee's home. They said they found evidence that led them to believe that the puppy actually belonged to McGee. Police then determined her 14-year-old brother had accidentally stepped on the puppy. Conditions in the home led police to remove the animals.
"All of the animals are in good health. It's our goal to make certain they are well taken care of while Edgewater police investigate and find out the facts of the case," said Angela Davis, the manager of the shelter. "We have placed the puppies and their mother in foster care to be certain they stay healthy and in a stress-free environment. The future of these animals depends on the outcome of the case." | Source: ABC News - February 28, 2006
Update posted on Mar 4, 2006 - 10:06PM |
The woman who reported a case of animal abuse became the target of the investigation on February 26, 2006. The woman had said she saw two boys tossing a newborn puppy like a football. Police said they believe the woman was lying. The puppy died over the weekend. Investigators are considering charges against the woman. Police said they received several tips that the report by Desirae McGee's story was not credible. Investigators plan to interview the veterinarian who treated the puppy.
McGee, 19, took the 3-week-old puppy into the Wheat Ridge Animal Hospital. A veterinarian examined the dog and said its internal injuries were severe. Police said that a search of McGee's home turned up several other puppies which looked just like the one that she took to the animal hospital. All those dogs have been taken to an animal shelter. A young woman who answered the door at McGee's house night didn't want to be interviewed on camera. She said "it was just an accident" and said she didn't know exactly what happened. | Source: CBS4 News - February 27, 2006
Update posted on Feb 28, 2006 - 2:26PM |
The 3-week-old puppy that two teenagers allegedly were using as a football died Saturday morning, an animal hospital said.
The Pekingese, which was only about the length of a writing pen, was suffering from respiratory problems and had fluid filling its lungs - injuries consistent with having been thrown and grabbed at the neck, said Jamie Petsitis, a spokeswoman at Wheat Ridge Animal Hospital.
The hospital said the puppy died early Saturday.
Police operations Cmdr. Mike Marchese said the teens could face a felony charge of animal abuse. | Source: Summit Daily News - Feb 25, 2006
Update posted on Feb 25, 2006 - 8:15PM |
Neighborhood MapFor more information about the Interactive Animal Cruelty Maps, see the map notes.
Back to Top References« CO State Animal Cruelty Map
|
