Malia Nummerdor’s friends have launched an online fundraiser to cover her legal bills after the Florida mother was arrested on charges of sexual contact with an animal.
Nummerdor, 38, of Punta Gorda, Florida, was taken into custody on Sept. 15 following accusations from her estranged husband Erik Nummerdor that he had caught her on camera performing sex acts with the family dog, according to charging documents from the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office. The couple, who married in 2023, are parents to two young sons.
The fundraiser, started on Monday, frames the situation as a setup orchestrated by a vengeful spouse. Malia and her sons’ “lives have been turned upside down following a painful and difficult situation involving Malia’s estranged husband and allegations against her that she maintains are untrue,” the fundraising post states.
The campaign notes that the family has been displaced from their home and that Nummerdor now faces significant legal costs. “Malia is facing serious allegations, and she needs experienced legal representation to ensure that she has the opportunity to fully address them through the proper legal process,” the post continues. “This situation has also deeply affected her two young sons, who deserve privacy, stability, and as much normalcy as possible while the adults involved work through what comes next.”
The appeal has drawn limited support so far, with just two donations totaling less than $20 in its first day.
According to the arrest report, Erik Nummerdor told police he had installed two security cameras in the home to investigate money disappearing from a coin jar. He maintained that the cameras were known to everyone in the residence.
While reviewing footage from a bedroom camera, Erik told investigators he discovered video of Malia allegedly engaging in sex acts with Ranger, the family’s dog. He provided police with the recording and access to the laptop containing the footage, which authorities said “provided an independent source of corroboration beyond Erik’s statements.”
Police interviewed Malia on Sept. 15, the same day as her arrest. Officers noted she appeared impaired and acknowledged being under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time.
“When asked to explain the dog’s proximity to her genital area, Nummerdor denied sexual conduct and claimed she had merely been lying with and petting her elderly dog near its bed,” police wrote in the arrest report.
“When asked to clarify her physical position and the dog’s placement between her legs, Nummerdor was unable to provide any coherent or consistent explanation,” the report added, noting that she had pointed out a second dog was also present in the room.
The fundraiser emphasizes its purpose without taking a position on guilt. “This fundraiser is not asking anyone to decide the facts of the case. It is about helping a mother and her children get through an extraordinarily difficult period and making sure Malia has access to appropriate legal representation,” the post reads.
Nummerdor grew up as an only child and has no surviving parents, leaving her to rely on close friends for support, according to the campaign. Her Facebook profile contains years of photos showing her with Erik and their two sons.
After her arrest, Nummerdor was booked at Charlotte County Jail, where records show she smiled broadly for her mugshot. She has since been released.