A case of animal cruelty has emerged from Harwich, Massachusetts, where Meredith Viprino, a 42-year-old local woman, is facing charges after law enforcement officers discovered a grisly scene involving several dead animals on her property. According to reports from NBC Boston, after responding to a tip about neglected sheep, police found two sheep with fatal stab wounds and a third critically injured animal that later had to be euthanized.
Officials also encountered a barn in "deplorable" conditions with no food or water present and a dozen more animal corpses in varying states of decay, as per NBC Boston.
Following her arrest, Viprino was arraigned in Orleans District Court on 15 felony counts of animal cruelty. The Cape Cod Chronicle reports that she has pleaded not guilty to the charges during this morning court appearance. The motives behind the sheep stabbings and the neglect remain unclear. Cape and Islands District Attorney Rob Galibois stated that the case is being reviewed for "a possible grand jury presentment."
