Redding Woman Trying to Clear Animal Cruelty Charges with Program

A Redding woman whose horses were seized because of an alleged animal cruelty complaint is trying to have her criminal charges waived with a special psychiatric program.

Lisa Lind-Larsen, 76, appeared Wednesday morning in state superior court in Danbury to apply for a supervised divisionary program, NewsTimes reported.

The supervised diversionary program gives defendants who have psychiatric disabilities the chance to get treatment instead of going to trial for certain crimes that are not serious, according to the state judicial website.

To be entered into the diversionary program, Lind-Larsen would need to be eligible and submit an application and be assessed by the Court Support Services Division, which will determine the type of treatment and services needed, make sure those are available and decide which community supervision, treatment and services the defendant she should receive.

The CSSD will then recommend a treatment plan to the court or tell the court that the she should not be allowed to take part in the program.

Lind-Larsen’s two mustangs were seized in July 2014 for being extremely underweight, with prominent ribs, hip bones and spinal bones, and living in unsanitary stall conditions, Patch previously reported.

She is continuing to fight in civil court to retrieve her horses, which were seized from her Packer Brook Road property and taken to a Department of Agriculture facility in Niantic, where they remain, NewsTimes reported.

Lind-Larsen’s next court date to determine her eligibility in the program is March 9.

For the full NewsTimes story, click here.