A western Iowa woman has been booked into the Hall County Jail in Nebraska, accused of dumping more than 20 dead dogs in a cornfield near Grand Island.
Denise Withee, 46 of Mapleton, had been undergoing mental evaluations, according to the Grand Island Independent. She now faces three felony counts of animal neglect resulting in death and is expected to be arraigned Tuesday morning.
The dogs, all from various small breeds, are suspected of dying from dehydration and heat exhaustion, although additional tests are being completed. In addition to the dogs that died, Withee had 13 living animals in her possession at the time of her arrest on Aug. 2.
Withee faces similar charges in Monona County, her place of residence in Iowa. She is being charged for 20 dogs that were found running at large and 27 more dogs found in two separate residences. According to CBS news, the residence in Mapleton has been marked as a bio-hazard due to the amount of animal feces and urine. The Iowa charges of animal abandonment and neglect, which may increase as more is learned about the case, are misdemeanors.




