Brawley woman, Victoria Williams, faces animal cruelty charge after leaving her dog to die in her hot car

CALIFORNIA -- A 46-year-old woman arrested on suspicion of animal cruelty after her dog died while locked in her car on a hot day is set to appear Friday in court in El Cajon.

Victoria Williams was arrested outside the El Cajon courthouse June 19 after sheriff's deputies attempted to rescue the dog from the car by breaking a window.

Victoria Williams, in court, pleaded not guilty

The dog, a pit bull terrier named Zeus, was dead, according to El Cajon police.

Williams had been in the courthouse "attending to a court matter," police said.

The dog had been left in the car for five hours as the outside temperature reached 95 degrees and the temperature inside the car, locked with its windows rolled up, is estimated to have reached 135 degrees, police said.

Williams, of Brawley, has faced drug and probation violations, according to court records.

(Los Angeles Times - June 26, 2015)