Cruel Teen Surrenders To Cops, Arrested For Letting Dog's Skin Grow Over Harness: Police

JOLIET, IL — A Joliet teen who left a harness on her chained dog for so long that its skin grew around it surrendered to the cops Thursday, police said.

Esmeralda Mancera, 18, turned herself in and was arrested on charges of cruel treatment of an animal and neglecting her duties as an animal owner.

Animal Control officers were sent to Mancera’s Grover Street home last month to investigate a report of a neglected dog, police said. The officers reportedly found a 7-month-old shepherd mix chained up outside with a belt around its neck.

The belt — identified as a harness in court documents — had become embedded in the dog’s flesh, police said.

The animal control officers reportedly took the dog away. A veterinarian had to perform surgery on the animal to remove the belt, police said.

Mancera, who was identified in court documents as “Esmerlda” Mancera, posted $5,000 bail for her release at the police station and avoided a trip to the county jail.