Persistent barking from a Rostraver Township apartment led to a grim discovery and felony charges this week, after a small Shih Tzu was found barely alive and later had to be euthanized, prosecutors said.
Managers at the Rostraver Apartments called police after days of nonstop noise from an unfurnished unit. When maintenance staff went inside, they found the dog curled in a closet corner, described as "lifeless and barely breathing." The animal was rushed to a local clinic, but veterinarians determined its condition was so poor that it could not be saved.
Rostraver Township officers responded to the complex on Mathews Road in January after property managers reported the continuous barking. Inside the unit, they found animal feces throughout, the windows open, the furnace off, and the indoor temperature hovering around 45 degrees, according to WPXI. A maintenance worker told police he had first located the dog under a pile of clothing before bringing it out for treatment.
What investigators found
Authorities said the dog had been left on its own in the apartment for roughly two weeks and ultimately required humane euthanasia when its condition did not improve. A necropsy later documented malnutrition, starvation, and hypothermia, according to CBS Pittsburgh. The findings were reviewed by the Westmoreland County District Attorney's Office as part of the investigation that led to criminal charges.
Who was charged
Officials identified the defendants as 22-year-old Skylar Majors-Frost and 44-year-old Kisha Bradley, both of Monessen. Investigators said Majors-Frost reported she had been hospitalized for 10 days and had asked Bradley to look after the dog during that time, according to Mon Valley Independent. Court records show the charges were filed at the office of Magisterial District Judge Wayne Vlasic in Monessen.
Charges
Prosecutors said both women now face multiple counts, including felony aggravated cruelty to animals, as well as cruelty to animals and neglect. Those charges were detailed by the Westmoreland County District Attorney's Office and reported by CBS Pittsburgh.
Local context
Westmoreland County prosecutors have increasingly brought felony animal cruelty cases in recent years, with several high-profile investigations in valley communities leading to criminal filings and public scrutiny, according to the Westmoreland County District Attorney's Office case portal. Those prosecutions have encouraged local rescues and residents to continue pushing for enforcement in abuse and neglect cases.
What happens next
Court records indicate the charges were entered this week, although an arraignment date had not appeared in the public docket as of today. Prosecutors said the investigation remains active, and additional court dates or filings could follow, according to Mon Valley Independent.
