Tennessee: Samantha Stidham, 20, had money for cigarettes, but not puppy food

TENNESSEE -- The smell of smoke and a fire alarm sent Kingsport police officers into an apartment searching for anyone inside. What police found was a neglected puppy and now a woman is charged with cruelty to animals.

Police rushed into an apartment on Robertson Street looking for any victims and found a malnourished two-month-old puppy whose spine and ribs were visibly protruding under it's skin and pink sores on its shoulders. 

Officers say the small gray and white puppy, crawled from underneath a bed in the upstairs bedroom and stumbled down the stairs.

The puppy appeared frightened. A neighbor brought food and water to the puppy.

Officers waited until 20-year-old Samantha Stidham returned to her apartment -- where she told police she didn't buy food for the puppy because she didn't have any money. Stidham reportedly told police she made trip to the convenience store.

According to the Kingsport Fire Department, an oven was left on in the home.

Stidham is charged with aggravated cruelty to animals.

The puppy remains in the care of the Sullivan County Animal Shelter.

NEWS RELEASE

SUBJECT: Kingsport Police Officers Rescue Neglected Puppy from Apartment Fire/Resident Arrested
DATE: September 29, 2014

GENERAL NARRATIVE
On September 26, 2014 at approximately 8:45 PM, Kingsport Police Officers patrolling in the area of Cloud Apartments in Kingsport were alerted by a nearby resident that apartment #47, located at 1212 Robertson Street, was on fire.

Officers Brooke Bowers, Craig Dunworth, and Jesse Griggs rushed to the scene.
They heard a smoke alarm and smelled smoke emanating from the apartment. A neighbor told them she believed that the apartment resident, later identified as Samantha A. Stidham, might still be inside.

The officers forced open the door of the apartment and began to search the interior for potential victims of the fire.

No people were found inside; however, a small gray and white puppy, believed to be approximately 2-3 months old, crawled out from underneath the bed in an upstairs bedroom and stumbled down the stairs.

The puppy (believed to be a pit bull mix) appeared emaciated, frightened, and neglected. Its ribs, shoulder and hip bones, and spine were all visibly protruding under its skin and there were pink sores on the puppy’s shoulders. A neighbor brought food and water, and the puppy desperately consumed it.

The source of the smoke turned out to be an oven that had been left on by Ms. Stidham. Kingsport Fire Fighters responded and extinguished the fire and rendered the apartment safe.

Shortly after the fire was extinguished, Ms. Stidham returned home from a trip to a convenience store. She confirmed that she was the resident of the apartment and the owner of the puppy.

She told the officers that she did not have any food for the puppy, because she could not afford it; however, she did appear to own numerous non-essential items including a large television, DVD movies, a cell phone, and cigarettes.

Ms. Stidham was arrested for Aggravated Cruelty to Animals and was transported to the Kingsport City Jail. The puppy was turned over to SBK Animal Shelter for proper care and safekeeping.

SUSPECT INFORMATION
Name Samantha A. Stidham
Age Date of Birth 3/21/1994
20 Years of Age
Race/Gender White/Female
Location of arrest: Residency Cloud Apartments
Charge(s) Aggravated Cruelty to Animals

(WJHL - Sept 30, 2014)