(KATV) Benton - When law enforcement
officers were looking for escaped inmate, Curtis Reese Jr., they looked in Saline
County where he's from. Reese was later captured in White County, but the
search in Benton turned up neglected and deceased dogs.
Homes here on Latimer
Dive in Benton are spread out, people have live stock and the sound of dogs
barking isn't out of the ordinary. Neighbor James Toland says, "She seemed like
a sweet person."
Neighbors say they
thought the homeowner fostered animals for the Humane Society.
Rhonda Reese
explains, "We haven't seen her coming around in a while and she use to
come every day. She kept to herself and wouldn't let you get on her property
but it's kind of sad. I didn't know she needed help with them or we would have
helped."
48-year old Dorothy Braithwaite
has been arrested, charged with 23 counts of animal cruelty. Each count is a
felony.
Lt. Kevin Russell says the cages were
stacked floor to ceiling and there was no water or electricity to the home. He
says if
search crews didn't find the home, they may never have found it. "They were underweight and there was excrement all over
them and the environment they were living in, it was just very sad."
Benton Animal Control
is caring for the animals.
PREVIOUS STORY:
A Benton woman was arrested on Wednesday for 23 counts of animal cruelty after Benton Police found dogs and cats in poor condition in her home. The officers were in the 600 block of Latimer Drive looking for escaped inmate Curtis Reese, Jr. when they came across Dorothy Braithwaite's home.
Police say they obtained a search warrant for the residence after noticing a large amount of animals in the home that appeared to be without electricity or a caretaker.
There was no power, the animals were covered in excrement, and there was no sign that the animals had been fed or given water recently.
On November 2, detectives came into contact with 48-year-old Braithwaite.
