Welcome to Arrest Stories. A thirty-six-year-old woman was arrested in Marion County after two dogs were found severely emaciated in an abandoned home where she had not lived for weeks. Here's what may have happened.
On October twenty-second, a Marion County Sheriff's Office deputy responded to a home on Southwest Twenty-first Place in Ocala after a man hired to mow the lawn noticed a visibly malnourished dog inside the residence. Neighbors told deputies that Stephanie Delcastillo had abandoned the home for weeks.
Deputies could see two emaciated dogs through the window of the home, which was filled with feces and urine. Animal control officers found fecal matter covering the floor throughout the residence. The two gray Cane Corsos, named Maui and Maverick, had been left alone in the home.
Both dogs showed clear signs of starvation and were severely emaciated. An official stated "Maui was laying down and would not move from this position." The same official observed Maverick and noted "Deputy Boucher observed Maverick to be in better condition than Maui due to him being able to walk and jump; however, Maverick also appeared to be emaciated."
A veterinary assessment revealed that both animals had a body score of one, which officials described as "the lowest you can go." The power had been shut off to the residence where the dogs were discovered.
Animal Control executed a search warrant on October twenty-second and removed both dogs for immediate medical treatment. The investigation confirmed that the dogs belonged to Delcastillo, who had not resided in the apartment for more than three weeks.
On December twenty-second, a Marion County Sheriff's Office investigator interviewed Stephanie Nicole Delcastillo regarding the incident. Four days later, on December twenty-sixth, Delcastillo was arrested and booked into Marion County Jail. She was held on five thousand dollars bond.
All suspects presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Do not take this report as factual, always verify facts. Thanks for watching Arrest Stories.