Jessica Hoff, 47, has been charged with criminal negligence after her dementia-stricken mother was killed by her dogs while she was out – leading police to find dozens of malnourished pets
A woman has been arrested after her elderly mum, who suffered from dementia, was mauled to death by her dogs in a horror attack. Police attending at the scene in rural Colorado, US, discovered around two dozen dogs owned by 47-year-old Jessica Hoff at the home, with many of them clearly malnourished and living in “unsanitary conditions.”
After finding 76-year-old LaVonne Hoff dead at the scene, detectives searched a second house and found more dogs, bringing the total number to 54. Hoff, from Colorado City, has since been charged with criminal negligence resulting in the death of an at-risk adult and 54 counts of aggravated animal abuse. The dogs were taken by animal control, along with a number of birds found at the second property.
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Police said Hoff had left her mum alone at the house when she left to run errands in the city of Pueblo, despite her needing round-the-clock care. While she was out, several of the dogs set upon her mother and killed her, according to investigators.
The dogs were said to have been allowed to run loose in the house prior to the incident, which took place on February 3. The mother was pronounced dead at the scene, and an autopsy later found her death was a result of a dog attack. Hoff was arrested on Friday 21 March, and held at Pueblo County jail.
A statement from Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office said: “Deputies responded to the residence in the 4800 block of Jefferson Blvd on February 3 on a report of an unconscious woman. When they arrived, they found LaVonne Hoff, 76, unresponsive and several dogs running loose in the home and another approximately two dozen dogs and seven birds in cages in the home. The victim was pronounced deceased at the scene. Autopsy results determined LaVonne Hoff’s death was attributed to the dog attack.
“Sheriff’s detectives conducted an extensive investigation and learned that Jessica Hoff had left her mother at home alone with her dogs that day while she went to Pueblo to run errands. LaVonne Hoff reportedly had dementia and required 24-hour care. Detectives learned that while LaVonne Hoff was left alone, she was attacked by the dogs that were loose in the home.
“Detectives executed a search warrant on the home and a second property Jessica Hoff had in Colorado City and located a total of 54 dogs and the seven birds in her possession. The dogs and birds were found living in unsanitary conditions and several of the dogs were in poor health. The Sheriff’s Office worked with Animal Law Enforcement to seize the dogs and the birds.”
