Grand jury indicts former Deerfield woman, Debra Jaffe, on animal cruelty charge

ILLINOIS -- A former Deerfield resident has been indicted by a Lake County grand jury on a felony charge of aggravated cruelty and treatment of animals.

Debra J. Jaffe, 42, formerly a resident of the 800 block of Chestnut Street, is scheduled for arraignment before Judge George Bridges at 9 a.m. on May 8 in Lake County Circuit Court.

Cynthia Trujillo of the Lake County State's Attorney's office, said that Jaffe, through her attorney, had asked that the state lower charges to a misdemeanor but prosecutors declined.

"Prosecuting the maltreatment of defenseless animals is a top priority of the Lake County State's Attorney's office," said Ken LaRue, chief of felony review.

The Class 4 felony she has been indicted on carries the potential of one to three years in prison, with the possibility of extension to six years, and a maximum fine of $25,000, officials said.

Responding to a complaint, Deerfield police on Nov. 1 visited the Chestnut Street address where Jaffe had lived, and saw through a window the apparently lifeless body of a dog, later determined to be a Maltese-Sheltie mix, lying near the front door, with a large amount of feces nearby, according to authorities.

Police wearing breathing gear entered the home and found that the dog was dead, officials said.

Upstairs they found another male Maltese-Sheltie mix, 4-years-old, emaciated and severely dehydrated, but still breathing, according to authorities. The dog's eyes were swollen nearly shut from infection and dirt, and its fur knotted, tangled and filthy, officials said. No food or water were found inside the home, they noted.

The 4-year old, named Sydney, recovered and was adopted by a Deerfield area family, according to police.

"You had two dogs abandoned inside a home within a mile of Orphans of the Storm in Riverwoods," said Deerfield Deputy Police Chief Rick Wilk. "The owner could have just driven down the street and Orphans would have been more than happy to have taken the dogs off her hands."

Wilk credited Sgt. Juan Mazariegos and Patrolman Anthony Kropp with developing the case against Jaffee.

Neither Jaffe nor her attorney, Laura Horner of Waukegan, could be reached for comment.

(Chicago Tribune - April 29, 2013)