Case continued for Middletown woman charged with animal cruelty

The case of a Middletown woman facing felony animal cruelty charges has been continued until later this month.

Tina Marie Jackson, 39, appeared in Butler County Common Pleas Court on Monday morning. This news outlet was told by Assistant Prosecutor David Kash that the defense intended to file a not guilty by reason of insanity plea for Jackson, but that information is incorrect.

Kash said today he made an error when providing the information.

Jackson has pleaded guilty to all charges and is free on $5,000 bond. She is scheduled to be back in Butler County Common Pleas Court on May 21.

In February, four dead dogs, including one with a decapitated head, were found in the backyard of Jackson’s home, according to the Butler County Sheriff’s Office.

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Two of the dogs were found in dog houses, another one was found in a black plastic tote along with a decapitated dog’s head, according to the sheriff’s office.

Necropsies, which are autopsies performed on animals, were conducted on all four dogs. Three dogs were found to have no food in their stomachs, and the cause of death was ruled starvation.

No cause of death was determined for the dog with the severed head due to lack of evidence, officials said.

Jackson said she ran out of dog food and she never provided bedding in the dog houses to keep the dogs warm. She did not offer an explanation for the decapitated dog.

“It’s just so frustrating because we offer so many ways to help and still people don’t get it,” Butler County Dog Warden Supervisor Kurt Merbs previously told this newspaper. “We’re still getting these calls of dogs starving to death.”

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