A Prairie Grove woman’s animal cruelty charge was upgraded to a felony this week after her dog died from alleged inhumane treatment, according to Washington County authorities.
Bethany Stokes, 19, was booked into the Washington County jail Monday morning after appearing in Prairie Grove City Court.
Stokes had been cited by Prairie Grove police on suspicion of misdemeanor animal cruelty, which landed her case in city court. A judge later upgraded her potential charge to felony animal cruelty, requiring Stokes to be booked into the Washington County Detention Center, according to the Washington County Sheriff’s Office.
The suspect was released without bond because she was never technically arrested and held in jail, just cited by police.
Documents submitted by the Washington County Prosecutor’s Office to the county Circuit Clerk’s Office last week claim Stokes “failed to provide food and water, or treat a large wound on the dog’s shoulder resulting in infection and death of the dog, the circumstances being inhumane treatment of the animal, resulting in death.”
Stokes has a court date set for June 21 in Washington County Circuit Court.
