Ohio: Duke the skeletal pit bull dies and everyone's blaming each other for his suffering and death

OHIO -- A dog has died after two people were accused of abusing and neglecting the animal in their home in Butler County.

The Butler County Sheriff's Office charged 34-year-old Jessica North, and her fiance, 31-year-old Christopher Sears, with cruelty to a companion animal and failure to license.

Dr. Sara Horton, with the West Side Animal Clinic, said Duke was just 34 pounds when he came to their office in September. Horton said Duke should have weighed around 65 pounds.

"Probably one of the worst cases I've seen in my career," Dr. Horton said.

 

Do you see how big that collar is? To me, it means
it was put around Duke's neck when he weighed a lot more
and they never bothered to remove it or even tighten it.

Butler County Dog Warden & Human Officers posted on their Facebook page announcing the tragic update.

"We are deeply saddened to announce that Duke physically could not fight anymore...His body, no matter how hard he tried, and the amazing staff at West Side Animal Clinic tried was shutting down.

"We were hopeful in the beginning that he would pull through as we found nothing medically wrong with him and he actually gained weight, but as reported yesterday he had took a turn for the worse.

"This morning with West Side Animal Clinic staff and Dog Wardens at his side....Duke was humanely Euthanized to end his suffering and to let him be at peace and rest.

"I was told a long time ago in this job do not get attached to the animals you bring in for the end result may be bad... my response was I am human and there's no way I can do that.

"Rest in peace you amazing creature and may you never be in pain again."

Investigators believe North and Sears kept Duke in the basement and purposely did not feed him to get revenge on someone else.

They both waived their preliminary hearings and could face a grand jury.

WHAT OWNER JESSICA NORTH SAID

Jessica North
September 28 at 6:09am ·
THE FACTS; you know our names this post is about duke and our family. Duke started out as my brothers dog he was with him till he was 6 years old. My brother got into a relationship with a woman named Heather. Her and my brother were on again off again and Duke and my family got caught up in the middle of things. When my brother left her he would take his dog with him. Then my brother went to jail and she got custody of Duke. That was 5 years ago. All along I have never stole anyones dog nor would I.

A few months ago I pulled up in front of my home after work and I got a huge surprise of Duke licking my driver side window on my vehicle. When I tried to get out Duke jumped onto my lap now licking my face. He was skinny and dirty. I brought him into my home. He was hungry thirsty and after a bath was ready to play with my other dogs I DO OWN. I was trying to do the best I could putting weight on him. I bought Duke soft food and even puppy food. No matter what I did Duke always would [throw] it back up. Yes I take full responsibly on not taking him to the vet. That is my fault and my fiance and brother went to the owners home to take him back many times. No one ever answered.

Since Duke was not ours I had no idea what to do. I do understand how EVERYONE feels on this. Duke should have never went through any of this. For this I am ashamed and want to crawl into a dark hole and die. My daughter Julia North-Owens has also been being threatened to be jumped and that she should kill herself. None of this was my children fault. So please stop verbally attacking her. This could have been anyone. My advice is ask for help, ask around , call the Warden , and try even harder. I do love animals and have given my meal for my animals and even my kids to eat that is what should be done. I hope that after reading this and maybe understanding all will see that we were trying the best we could. Thank You so much to West side animal Clinic and everyone that has donated to Duke. I know he is where he needs to be and getting the care he also needed.

Julia North-Owens (Jessica North's daughter who is 15 years old): You dont know my family. Lololol. We didnt starve him. HE HAS STAGE FOUR KIDNEY FAILURE. He cant hold down food. They have him on an iv just to get him to gain weight at the moment. Dont try talking down to me, i dont care what you do for a living and ill never give up on my pets so think again?!?!? Jokes on you because youre irrelevant and dont know what youre talking about. THE MEDIA TWIST THINGS VERY MUCH SO.

Maddi Elaine: I originally got onto the post that Butler County Sherrifs Office posted and i saw this post.

Wanna know whats funny? You said you tried to take him to the vet and he was refused care because it wasnt your dog. Now youre saying that you never even brought the dog to the vet AT ALL? Funny. The condition of that dogs body doesnt lie. I can list at least 3 local shelters that would have taken him in and gotten him the care he needed. Did you bother calling any of them and telling them what was going on? It doesnt matter who the dog is microchipped to/legally belongs to, you could surrender him. Especially in the condition he was in. You never called the dog warden? Or the authorities? You said the dog was "skinny" when you got him, if you would have reported it it would have came back on his owner. Did you do any of that? No, you watched him slowly starve. The media isnt lying. The pictures say it all. Quit trying to make excuses. You COULD have done something, but you didnt. So dont say you tried to help him.

Jessica North's 15 year-old daughter says they
took Duke to a vet but because he was microchipped
to someone else, they refused to treat him. That may
be true but they also would've called the police to report
a walking skeleton having been brought in by her mother. 

Kayla Marie (who also appears to be in high school): STAGE FOUR KIDNEY FAILURE MEANS THAT HE WAS SICK, JUST TO TELL YOU IDIOTIC PEOPLE WHO ARE ATTACKING MY FAMILY.

Matthew Roberts: FUCK your white trash family.

Kayla Marie: Fuck you. I don't know who the fuck you think you are but you need to stop being a little dick and get over yourself.

Kayla Marie: He was sick BEFORE they got him. Get your facts straight and stop commenting. None of this is your concern. Leave them the fuck alone.

Maddi Elaine: Maybe she has people viciously attacking her because shes name calling and acting immature. People are concerned about the dog. Jessica was being respectful, apologized, and understands why people are mad. Youre on here calling (obviously educated) people "morons" and "idiots". Youre a child lol

Julia North-Owens: I fed him and they always have water, two to three butter bowls full and when theyre low it grts filled back up. Now please explain, WHY WOULD I STARVE ONE DOG ONLY????? Hmmm?!?! Its simple, i didnt sweetheart try again. (: Im 15 so and my education is clearly better than yours by the way you type.

Julia North-Owens: Lol dont disrespect my babe when shes been over here and has watched me feed my pets sweet heart. (: ive tried being respectful but no one listens. You still arent listen (: lololol. I AM GOING TO BE A ZOOLOGIST SO I DONT FUCK AROUND WHEN IT COMES TO ANIMALS EITHER. My father is the only one working because my mother had surgery.

Julia North-Owens: LOL YOU THINK I'M NOT HELPING? No ive helped. Ive helped people realise that we didnt starve him. You again are irrelevant. THIS IS MY FAMILY I AM HER DAUGHTER. So dont. (: (:

Maddi Elaine: Kayla you can get out of here with your attitude because i wasnt talking to you in the first place and you have no idea what youre talking about. I was in school to be a vet technician and i dont fuck around when it comes to animals. If shes 15 then maybe she should stop arguing with people online and trying to act like she knows everything.

FINGERS BEING POINTED AT WHOSE FAULT IT IS

Although Jessica North says "Heather" became the owner of the pit bull "five years ago", others who posted in the comment thread said the pit bull belonged to Carl Napier Jr. Either way, North has admitted to having taken over ownership of the pit bull "a few months ago" - since the pit bull was seized at the end of September, "a few months ago" to me means May or June. That is plenty of time to realize that you don't have the money to provide needed veterinary care to a dog that is clearly suffering and getting in worse shape by the day. 

Since they have other animals that appear to be in decent health, this means they could see the difference in health. One dogs is a skeleton and the other dogs appear fine. They could have surrendered the dog to a rescue or the shelter. They could have called Animal Control and given them the dog and told them that the owner abandoned it and let them follow-up. The problem is that they chose to do nothing - and that is why they have been charged with a crime. 

Is Carl Napier Jr, Jessica North's brother? 

In her post, she says her brother was Duke's original owner and that he gave the dog to his girlfriend "Heather" when he went to jail. Fast forward "five years" and she says her fiance (Chris Sears) and her brother tried to give the dog back "many, many times" to "Heather". 

Duke, from a photo posted in 2012

If you go to Carl W. Napier Jr.'s Facebook page, he has a photo of this dog which was posted January 15, 2012. 

He also has more current photos of a black and white female pit bull named Baby. In one post (May 2016), he says that this black and white pit bull broke her chain and is missing. 

 

He seemed very concerned about this missing pit bull. Why wasn't he concerned about Duke?

If, as Jessica North says, they had gone to Heather's house "many, many times" trying to dump Duke back onto her, and the dog used to belong to Carl Napier Jr. - and Carl currently owns a pit bull -- WHY DIDN'T CARL JUST KEEP DUKE? 

If what Jessica North says, that they kept trying to give Duke back to this girl named Heather, is true... Clearly she did not want the dog back - and that's why she kept avoiding them. But who's to say they even did any of this?

WHO IS HEATHER COVINGTON?

Heather, who is now married and goes by the name Heather Covington, has been very vocal online. According to her Facebook posts, Duke was stolen from her by Jessica North and Chris Sears. 

Heather Covington
October 1 at 9:59am · Hamilton, OH ·
Joshua thank you for watching over Duke

Jessica Chavez Embry How is he
Like · 1 · October 3 at 5:12pm

Heather Covington Find out tues will let u know
Like · October 4 at 12:24am

Heather Covington He is doing better he is in a special Animal Hospital and he's not allowed to have any visitors yet and if he does get visitors it will probably only be just me this is a pretty high-profile case cuz no joke it's so sad if you think that picture is bad you have no idea how it felt to see him in person and that's my baby and you know how long we've had him to see him looking like that broke my heart
Like · 1 · October 5 at 3:57pm

Deborah A. Peters Sorry to hear that Heather....heartbreaking to know any one would let him get that bad...an claim they loved him 😕
Like · 1 · October 11 at 5:34pm

Heather Covington Thanks Debbie Peters
Like · 1 · October 12 at 12:59pm

Jessica Chavez Embry I know and im so sorry, he's in my prayers for sure. What's going on with jess and sticks ?
Like · October 5 at 4:03pm

Heather Covington Idk Jess... I dont care. Im only worried about duke. Hes still in the hospital.
Like · October 11 at 12:31pm

Heather Covington feeling determined.
October 14 at 8:35am · Hamilton, OH ·
For those that are wondering about my super popular dog when he gets home I promise I'm making him a Facebook page LOL anyways he's in a private hospital he's being super spoiled by everyone there he has so much help from the community even Sheriff Jones went to go visit him he has gained about 4 pounds which isn't much for an animal that usually weighs around 80 pounds he was only 36 pounds when the shelter called me and told me that they had finally found him I gave them my permission to go ahead and look up his vet records so they could see that when I took him to the vet how much he weighed now he has something called muscle distrofia as for the people responsible for this 1 got a misdemeanor the first degree and the woman was charged with a felony he escaped out of their basement and I have a very intelligent dog that saved his own life as well as mine once crazy thing is they have two animals of their own that were in perfect condition this woman has a vendetta against me she always has she has stolen my dog several times last time she took my dog which was back in 2009 I went over there and knocked on her door she punched me and I had to show her how to do the Hillbilly Stomp... so since you can't beat me up I guess the next best thing to hurting me was hurting my animal I really don't care what anyone has to say I have been bombarded by her ratchet friends and if she does not leave me alone or her friends don't leave me alone I will take further action when this animal comes back home she better not look cross-eyed at me or my animal this woman helped another woman call the children's services on me around 6 or 7 times call the dog warden at least 5 had Vice watching my home call the health department on me all because her friend's boyfriend wanted to be with me and leave that other woman that's neither here nor there I'll take my husband that I have now any day and lo and behold now my kid is dead I cannot stand disgusting people who try to have other people's children snatched from them because they're having a little hissy fit like I said karma is a real bitch just make sure that bitch is beautiful... Focker out oh and I hope that her and her little crew of drug-addicted teenagers start harassing me again because I love to put some more charges on her but absolutely enjoy every second of it.

If, as Heather Covington says, Jessica North had stolen Duke from her several times before... did she file a police report when Duke disappeared for the final time? Did she tell them that Jessica North had stolen her dog previously and likely had the dog at her house? Even if the police couldn't prove that the dog was being hidden at their house, they would have at least done a knock and talk to get North's and Sears' statements. Where's the police report? 

HE SAID, SHE SAID...


One side says the dog was stolen. The other side says that's not true. The prosecutors definitely have a muddled case on their hands. However, when you break it down to the bare bones of the matter, the dog was in the possession of Jessica North and Chris Sears. That is why the criminal charges were filed against them. Ultimately, they will be held responsible for the condition of the dog and his death.

 

 

"They had to put Duke down today his stomach couldn't handle food anymore every time he ate he would throw up blood but I got to say goodbye and they are going to give me his remains and I'm going to put him with Joshua"

I don't understand any of this. Whatever your feelings are about pit bulls, NO animal should suffer like this. Multiple people all failed this poor dog. Even with the best care being provided to it round-the-clock at a vet clinic, his body couldn't take any more. 

I hate people. 

RIP Duke

(WTOL11 - Oct 21, 2016)

Earlier:

• Ohio: Jessica North, 34, and Christopher Sears, 31, charged with animal cruelty; accused of turning their pit bull into a walking skeleton