Warning: This article contains mentions of death and animal cruelty that some readers may find upsetting
A woman has been taken into custody after authorities found her mother, who had advanced dementia, dead and allegedly attacked by dogs in a residence housing over 50 mistreated dogs.
Jessica Hoff, a resident of Southern Colorado, was detained by the Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office on Friday (March 21), more than a month after her mother, LaVonne Hoff, was reportedly killed by dogs in their home.
The body of the 76-year-old was discovered by the police at 5.30pm on February 3 following calls about an unresponsive woman at the residence, according to KKTV.
Upon arrival, they found the elderly woman’s lifeless body surrounded by several dogs, either running loose or confined in cages.
LaVonne required continuous supervision due to her severe dementia. However, it is alleged that her daughter left her unattended in the house, which led to the dogs’ attack.
Authorities highlighted in a press release that the house was full of animals, with numerous dogs roaming freely, more confined in cages, and seven bird cages present, while some dogs circled LaVonne’s remains.
Responders at the scene suggested that the woman had been attacked by the dogs, with an autopsy confirming that her death was due to injuries from the dog attack, as noted by the NY Post.
“Detectives learned that while LaVonne Hoff was left alone, she was attacked by the dogs that were loose in the home,” police stated.
Jessica purportedly departed to run errands in Pueblo, leaving her mother with the dogs, and now faces charges of criminal negligence for abandoning her defenseless mother and multiple counts of animal cruelty.
Authorities obtained and executed search warrants for both their home and another property owned by Jessica in Colorado City, where they found 54 dogs and seven birds, many of which were reportedly in poor health and living in ‘unsanitary conditions,’ added officers.
Animal Law Enforcement has since taken custody of the animals, and Hoff is currently held at Pueblo County Jail with bail set at $50,000, as reported by online jail records and the Daily Mail.
She faces charges of criminal negligence leading to the death of a vulnerable adult and 54 counts of aggravated animal cruelty.
Hoff is due to appear in court on March 27.
If you witness an animal in distress or need of assistance, contact 911 if a crime is ongoing. Additionally, you can access a directory of animal abuse investigation agencies by state here.