A 75-year-old Anaheim woman is facing federal criminal charges after authorities say she lured a 9-month-old pit bull puppy named Blackey with kibble and ran it over with a minivan in Santa Ana on September 8. Hanh Minh Nguyen was charged Thursday with a felony count of animal crushing under a 2019 federal law that prohibits the practice. If convicted, she faces a maximum sentence of seven years in federal prison.
Santa Ana Police spokesperson Natalie Garcia said animal services officers found the puppy dead on the street after responding to a report of an injured dog. A neighbor told officers she believed a woman intentionally killed the animal, and a surveillance video from the area corroborated the account. The footage showed a woman exiting a Honda Odyssey, placing food near the driver's side door, setting the puppy down to eat, then driving forward and pinning the animal under the rear left tire for about 15 seconds.
According to the U.S. attorney's office, an autopsy indicated the puppy was alive for several minutes after the incident and likely suffered severe pain before dying. "Luring a defenseless puppy with food only to crush him beneath a vehicle is an act of appalling cruelty," said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli.
Orange County prosecutors have also charged Nguyen with felony animal cruelty and animal abuse by a caretaker, along with a sentencing enhancement alleging the personal use of a weapon. She was released from custody on $20,000 bail and is scheduled to appear in court in Santa Ana on Monday.
Sources: Las Vegas Review-Journal
Original reporting: Las Vegas Review-Journal →
English (US)·