OWEN COUNTY — The owner of SuPaca Farms in Gosport has pleaded not guilty to charges after 28 dead alpacas were found on the property earlier this year.
Sue Childers, 77, of Indianapolis faces charges of cruelty to an animal and failure to properly dispose of a dead animal.
According to an affidavit, a necropsy found that one of the alpacas named Harriet was emaciated.
Deputies say other animals were in poor health and severely malnourished. Seven alpacas, three llamas, nine dogs, three chickens, and two horses were seized from the property and taken to the Owen County Humane Society.
The affidavit says Childers told investigators she thought bobcats were killing and eating her alpacas but later thought they were poisoned.
"Sue advised that at some point during the summer/fall of 2021 she lost of large number other heard. She believed them to have been poisoned and stated that she came to that conclusion because the alpacas had died in a large group together," the affidavit read.
Childers also said that she stopped visiting the farm daily in February 2021 after getting COVID-19. She didn't start visiting again on a regular basis until the fall of 2021.
Childers is out on bond and she has pleaded not guilty, online court records show. A jury trial is scheduled for June 7.
-
Missing 37-year-old Anderson man found deceased
On July 11, police said they received multiple tips from people who had recently seen Smith. This led authorities to the 2700 block of West 38th Street.
Woman found dead on east side of Indianapolis, IMPD rules incident a homicide
Officers arrived at the scene and found an adult woman with injuries consistent with trauma wounds to her body. EMS pronounced her deceased at the scene.
Man and juvenile dead following a shooting on northwest side of Indianapolis
The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department is investigating a shooting that killed a man and a juvenile on the northwest side of Indianapolis early Saturday morning.
IMPD urges peace this weekend after recent gun violence
This comes after a mass shooting last weekend that killed two and injured five. IMPD and Indiana State Police will have an increased presence downtown this weekend.
