PALATKA, Fla. (TCN) — A 37-year-old mother allegedly abandoned her child and seven dogs, including several who were severely emaciated, to go on a trip to Las Vegas.
According to the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, on the night of Aug. 4, deputies received a call from a relative living in another state who was concerned about a teenager at a home on Songbird Lane. Responding deputies observed an adult outside the residence, and he claimed he was “cleaning” before Jessica Copeland arrived home from a vacation.
The teenager reportedly exited the house and “told deputies there were no issues and everything was fine.” The welfare request was cleared, and the sheriff’s office didn’t enter the residence.
According to deputies, another family member from Marion County later called and claimed he had video evidence of dogs being abused inside the residence. The relative reportedly showed deputies the video, allegedly showing three critically emaciated dogs. The family member alleged there was no running water or food in the house.
Deputies responded to the residence again and noticed the adult who was previously at the house had left. The teenager reportedly let the sheriff’s officers enter the home, “where they saw vile living conditions, including layers of animal feces on the floor, garbage and debris littered throughout, and several emaciated dogs without food and water.”
According to the sheriff’s office, the teen explained that Copeland left on July 21 to go on a trip to Las Vegas, and “different people would come to the house to check on him and bring him food.”
Deputies found a total of seven dogs in the house, including two who were locked in a bedroom and covered in approximately 4 inches of feces with no food or water. Authorities reportedly discovered a third dog in a cage who appeared severely emaciated and had no food or water. There were allegedly four other dogs in the living room, and they were surrounded by feces. Officials reportedly found water bowls, but there were insects floating in them.
According to the sheriff’s office, the teen said the conditions of the residence had been this way “for years” because Copeland allegedly “maintains it that way and refuses to clean.” Copeland reportedly returned while authorities were still at the home helping animal control remove the dogs.
The sheriff’s office said Copeland is “now on extended vacation at the Putnam County Jail” and faces one count of child neglect, three counts of felony animal neglect, and four counts of misdemeanor animal neglect.
Deputies said the dogs were voluntarily surrendered to animal services, and they’ll be up for adoption after they’re treated.
Sheriff H.D. “Gator” DeLoach said, “The depravity of this situation is both heartbreaking and infuriating. A mother made the conscious choice to abandon her own child in a filth-ridden home, surrounded by the stench of animal feces and suffering of neglected animals, while she indulged in a two-week birthday trip to Las Vegas. This wasn’t neglect. This was deliberate cruelty, both to her child and to the animals she left behind.”
