Nebraska: Leslie Byron, 21, and Sierra Hotchkiss, 18, arrested in Lincoln animal cruelty case

NEBRASKA -- Two Lincoln women were arrested Wednesday for their alleged involvement in an animal cruelty case being investigated by Animal Control and the Lincoln Police Department.

Leslie T. Byron, 21, and Sierra R. Hotchkiss, 18, both came forward and spoke to the agencies involved.

The city animal control manager said they found a deceased dog locked in a tan pet crate near 37th and South streets. He said a concerned citizen called in a tip on March 1 after it was spotted by a woman walking past the former Planned Parenthood site.

"No excuse. I could never do that," Lincoln resident Sally Tucker said.

 

They said the dog had been unattended for so long that it eventually died of dehydration and starvation. It was covered in feces and urine.

Byron is being held at the Lancaster County jail for animal abandonment resulting in death and animal neglect resulting in death, both felonies.

Byron told police she couldn't keep the dog in her apartment, so in January she took it to an unknown wooded area and left it there. She said she would come back to feed and play with the dog every day, but three weeks ago she got busy and forgot. By the time she came back, the dog was dead.

Police said that's when Byron called Hotchkiss and the two women moved the dog to an abandoned parking lot.

Hotchkiss is charged with accessory to a felony, which is a misdemeanor.

(KETV Omaha - Mar 10, 2016)

Earlier:

• Nebraska: Investigation launched after dog died of dehydration, starvation, Lincoln police say

Update:

• Nebraska: Leslie Byron took her dog, locked inside a pet crate, into the woods and abandoned him to slowly die of starvation all alone, covered in feces and urine. Judge Jodi Nelson could have sent her to jail. Instead, she let her go home.