A woman appeared in court on Thursday after she was arrested and charged with animal cruelty on Wednesday when authorities in Nash County said she had several dead animals at her home.
According to court documents, Nash County Animal Control Officers were called to a home on the 600 block of Hornes Road due to ongoing complaints of animal cruelty and neglect.
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When they arrived, animal control contacted the home owner, 46-year-old Amanda Wiersma and a 17-year-old who lived at hte home. During their investigation, officers found multiple dead animals on the property and what the described as "horrific living conditions" inside the home, including no running water and extensive animal feces and urine throughout Wiesrma's home.
The Sheriff's Office said the conditions posed an immediate health and safety threat to the teen inside, who was taken to the hospital for treatment and then placed in the care of Nash County Child Protective Services.
Wiersma was arrested at the home and charged with the following:
- Four counts of felony cruelty to animals.
- One count of felony child abuse/negelect, with intentional infliction of serious injury.
Wiersma was taken to the Nash County Detention Center, where she's being held under $50,000 bond.
Deputies said their investigation is ongoing and there could be more charges coming as the case progresses.
This is the second animal cruelty case in the county in just as many months. In November, deputies arrested Nancy Beth Gupton and accused her of willingly killing animals on her property by intentionally starving them and abusing her 10-year-old daughter.