A 21-year-old Palm Coast woman is facing animal-cruelty charges after Bunnell officers discovered two dead Labrador retrievers inside a storage unit, according to police. Officers were called to the 500 block of East Court Street after a tenant reported a strong, foul odor coming from one of the units. The woman, identified as Alexia Veronica Barquet, was taken into custody on felony and misdemeanor animal-cruelty counts and booked on a $6,000 bond, authorities said. The disturbing discovery has rattled local animal-welfare advocates and law enforcement alike.
What officers found at the scene
Officers arrived at about 9:44 a.m. on July 19 and immediately noticed ants under the roll-up door and flies moving in and out of a vent, according to WKMG ClickOrlando. Inside the unit, investigators reported that the floor was coated in feces, trash and debris. The dogs' water bowls were empty and a portable cooling unit was running but not producing cool air, while the heat index outside hovered around 96 degrees.
Officers found two deceased female black Labrador retrievers in the unit, identified as Ava, 5, and Karma, 2. According to investigators, Ava's remains had been placed inside a black plastic bag. The facility owner helped officers reach the renter, who came to the property and unlocked the unit, allowing a consented search, police said.
Barquet told officers she had discovered Ava dead earlier in the week, put the dog's body in a plastic bag and left it in the unit, and said she last checked on Karma on Friday, July 17, when she provided food and water, according to Palm Coast Observer. Flagler Animal Services assisted at the scene, and investigators say an animal control officer had previously warned Barquet in March not to keep animals overnight in the storage unit. After the search, Bunnell police arrested Barquet and transported her to the county detention facility.
Officials respond
“This is a disgusting case of animal cruelty, and these dogs died in a condition no animal should ever face,” Bunnell Police Chief David Brannon said in a department release. Brannon stressed that animals rely completely on their owners for food, clean water, safe shelter and protection from dangerous conditions, adding that the department has zero tolerance for people who neglect or abandon their pets. The agency urged anyone with information or concerns about similar situations to come forward, according to WKMG ClickOrlando.
Charges and legal background
Barquet was charged with two counts of aggravated animal cruelty, both felonies, along with two misdemeanor counts for confinement or abandonment without adequate care. Her bond was set at $6,000. Under Florida law, aggravated animal cruelty is a third-degree felony when a person’s actions or failure to act cause an animal’s cruel death or excessive suffering. Confinement or abandonment laws cover failure to provide sufficient food, water, exercise or shelter. The statutes also allow for fines, possible jail time and court orders that can prohibit convicted individuals from owning animals, per the Florida Legislature (Florida Statutes).
Local pattern of cases
The case comes amid a run of recent neglect and heat-related animal incidents in Flagler County, including a July rescue where deputies found dogs and pigeons suffering in a sweltering U-Haul. Local coverage of those incidents has amplified calls from shelters and law enforcement for neighbors to report animals in distress as quickly as possible. For more on that recent incident, see dogs, pigeons baking inside.
Authorities say anyone who sees an animal in immediate danger should call 911. Suspected cruelty that is not an active emergency can be reported to the Bunnell Police Department’s non-emergency line at (386) 437-7508. Flagler Animal Services and local humane groups can help with welfare checks and may offer support to owners struggling in extreme heat. The investigation into Barquet’s case remains active, and charges are expected to move forward in the county’s criminal court system, the Palm Coast Observer reports.
