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Mukwonago farm owner faces gun charges
A former employee and a witness reported severe animal neglect, including starvation and improper disposal of carcasses, at Black Diamond Friesians.
TOWN OF MUKWONAGO, Wis. - A former employee of a Town of Mukwonago farm is coming forward, sharing shocking photos of alleged mistreatment of animals. FOX6 News found criminal charges were filed against the farm's owner, because of what else police found when they searched the place.
WARNING: Some details and images in this story are graphic.
Farm owner investigated
What we know:
When Lisa Vega thinks about the animals that were once on a Town of Mukwonago farm, she begins to cry.
"It was horrible, horrible," Vega said.
Lisa Vega
Vega worked at 69-year-old Ralinda Howard's farm, Black Diamond Friesians, for four years. Vega said she stayed because she tried to stop the "death, dismemberment and filth" she witnessed.
What they're saying:
"We actually had many, many deaths and pretty serious injuries related to the property itself."
"I read that one horse was impaled on the fence. Is that true?" asked FOX6's Bret Lemoine.
"Correct," Vega replied.
Search warrant executed
The backstory:
In November, Town of Mukwonago police got a warrant to search the 9.9 acre property along Sugden Road, after a customer complained.
A woman went to the farm to buy a dog, after seeing a roadside sign advertising red labs. The woman said she saw at least five horses with visible ribs and 15 to 16 horses that appeared "malnourished, injured or sick." The witness added, "the smell of death was in the air."
Vega said broken fences and overcrowding were some of the biggest issues, especially for the horses. She also gave police pictures of a dead dog disposed of in a trash can, and told them about other animals that died on the property.
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"What happened to their bodies?" asked Lemoine.
"One of two things," Vega answered. "They were either put inside of a feed bag and throw into the garbage or they were taken down to the manure pile and buried in the manure pile."
Allegations denied
What they're saying:
FOX6 News spoke with Howard by telephone on Wednesday, Feb. 18. She denied the allegations.
Howard has not been charged with any crimes related to her animals. But Town of Mukwonago police tell FOX6 News the investigation is ongoing. Police said Howard will likely face municipal citations.
While searching Howard's farm, prosecutors found nearly a dozen guns. Prosecutors said that is in violation of a court order. Howard is a convicted felon. Court records show that stems from a 2011 conviction for misappropriation of identifying information.
Court appearance ahead
What's next:
FOX6 News reached out to the Waukesha County District Attorney's Office for comment about their charging decision. We have not heard back yet.
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Howard will make her initial appearance in Waukesha County court on the gun charges on March 12.
The Source: Information in this post was provided, in part, by Wisconsin Circuit Court Access.