Woman Charged With Animal Cruelty Months After 2 Dead Dogs Found In Yard: Polk County Sheriff

FROSTPROOF, FL — A woman was arrested months after two dogs were found dead in the backyard of a Frostproof home in June, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.

Deputies responded to an anonymous complaint about the dead dogs at the West 6th Street home on June 17.

Nashali Santiago, 20, told investigators that she was caring for the dogs while her brother was deployed overseas, the sheriff’s office said.

While searching the yard, deputies found two dead German Shepherds — Ajax, a three-year-old male, and Sugar, a two-year-old female — inside a makeshift pen with no roof or shade.

The outdoor temperature at the time was 93 degrees, PCSO said. The pen also contained no food or water bowls, and both dogs seemed to be in early stages of decomposition.

Santiago told deputies she had last seen the dogs the previous night and claimed they were fine. She said she typically fed and gave them water once daily in the evening.

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The dogs were sent to the University of Florida Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, where Dr. Adam Stern, a board-certified veterinary pathologist and founding fellow in veterinary forensic pathology, conducted forensic necropsies.

The results confirmed both dogs died from heatstroke and dehydration, the sheriff’s office said.
Ajax was found to be malnourished and had not eaten recently. His poor body condition was attributed to inadequate feeding, not illness, the agency said.

Sugar was in normal body condition but had also not eaten recently. No signs of disease or injury were found.

Santiago was arrested and charged with two counts of felony animal cruelty.

“This is a heartbreaking case of neglect. If you take responsibility for an animal, you are obligated to care for it properly. These dogs suffered and died needlessly, and now the woman responsible for their deaths is facing serious felony charges,” Sheriff Grady Judd said.