On May 9, 2023, Syniah Percell, a 25-year-old resident of Marietta, Georgia, turned herself in to the Newark Police Department.
Percell was charged with felony Cruelty to Animals in connection to an incident involving a Yorkie dog that had sustained severe injuries and subsequently died, according to Lt. Andrew Rubin of the Newark Police Department.
Rubin said the department received a report of an injured dog just after 3:00 pm on April 28, 2023. Officers immediately responded to an apartment in the 100-block of Thorn Lane, where they found the injured Yorkie dog. Upon investigating the matter, the police discovered that the apartment resident had left the dog under the care of a friend, Syniah Percell, while they were out said Rubin.
When the resident returned, they noticed that their pet was acting strangely, walking oddly, and had a bruise on its body. Concerned about their pet’s well-being, they immediately took it to a veterinarian. Unfortunately, the dog’s injuries were severe, and despite the best efforts of the veterinarian, it later succumbed to its injuries.
On April 29, 2023, an arrest warrant was issued by Justice of the Peace Court #11 charging Percell with one count of felony Cruelty to Animals. She was subsequently arrested and released on her own recognizance after appearing before Justice of the Peace Court #2 via video.