Crime
A French Bulldog named Charlie was taken for a two-week fundamental obedience coaching. He by no means returned.
A Connecticut girl is dealing with felony fees stemming from the invention {that a} North Studying household’s canine allegedly died in her care. And Charlie, the 3-year-old French Bulldog, is allegedly removed from the primary canine to have been mistreated in Josephine “Josie” Ragland’s care.
Police in California have been investigating the 27-year-old Haddam resident for the reason that starting of this 12 months after a German Shepherd allegedly went lacking in her care. They are saying a variety of her different former purchasers’ statements point out that their canine had been uncared for and abused, although no fees have been filed right now.
How Ragland was employed to coach Charlie
Charlie’s proprietor, 43-year-old North Studying resident Bart Hanson, stated his household employed a canine coach named “Lily” on the house companies web site Thumbtack in late August to take Charlie for 2 weeks for fundamental obedience coaching.
“I’m really within the playing trade the place scams are fairly widespread, so I’m all the time diligent about these things,” he not too long ago instructed Boston.com. “ … Once I spoke along with her on the cellphone and he or she got here to my home, she appeared completely regular.”
Lily picked up Charlie from the Hansons’ house on Sept. 1. She refused to provide her deal with, citing questions of safety relating to an ex-boyfriend, Hanson stated.
Throughout the two weeks Charlie was gone, every part appeared regular, he stated. Lily despatched them each day updates and photos of Charlie. However on Sept. 15 when Charlie was to be returned, Lily texted to say that her automotive had damaged down and he or she could be late, in accordance with Hanson.
The subsequent day, in accordance with the prison criticism towards Ragland, Lily texted that after her automotive broke down, she left her automotive with the home windows down and walked down the street, solely to return and discover Charlie gone. She stated she thought somebody had stolen him from the automotive.
Now, the Hansons had been suspicious and contacted North Studying police.
Police in New England examine Ragland
Quickly, Lily’s story started to crumble. Based on the criticism, North Studying police discovered that no disabled car had been reported to police within the space the place Lily stated her automotive had damaged down.
Moreover, on-line analysis led North Studying police to suspect that “Lily” would possibly really be Josephine Ragland. Their suspicions had been strengthened after they confirmed {that a} Fb profile with the identify “Josie Fenn Ragland” had profile photos and lots of others exhibiting the particular person Hanson knew as Lily.
Based on the criticism, when North Studying police first spoke with Ragland on Sept. 16, she recognized herself as “Lily” and instructed a narrative just like what she’d instructed Hanson. When the officer tried to get Ragland to provide him her full identify, she allegedly refused out of concern for her security. The officer quickly stopped the interview after Ragland grew to become upset and he was unable to calm her, however they deliberate to talk once more quickly, the criticism says.
After discovering out concerning the lacking German Shepherd incident in California, North Studying police interviewed Ragland a number of extra instances over the course of the following few days, in accordance with the criticism. Throughout these interviews, she allegedly admitted her true identification and stated she glided by a false identify as a result of she was a sufferer of home violence. She additionally allegedly admitted that Charlie had died, saying it occurred on Sept. 14 and that he was in her mom’s care on the time.
The criticism says that over the course of the interviews, Ragland gave police numerous and infrequently conflicting statements about how and when Charlie died, what she had been doing the previous weekend, and the place Charlie was buried. She later allegedly admitted to mendacity about many components of her earlier statements.
Charlie’s physique is discovered
Based on the criticism, Ragland ultimately instructed North Studying police that Charlie had died on Sept. 4 or 5. After he died, she despatched the Hansons photos she’d taken whereas he was alive, she allegedly instructed police.
A Connecticut officer was referred to as in to recuperate Charlie’s physique. After initially offering a false account of what had been completed with the physique, Ragland’s mom ultimately took the officer to the aspect of a street in Norwich City, about 37 minutes from the place Ragland was residing along with her mother and father, in accordance with the criticism. The officer situated Charlie’s stays.
Involved for the protection of the opposite canine in Ragland’s care, Connecticut officers then went to Ragland’s mother and father’ house and recovered 4 canine. Based on the criticism, the canine had been being saved in a 10- to 12-foot-long room and had been malnourished. They had been reunited with their homeowners throughout New England.
A College of Connecticut necropsy of Charlie’s physique discovered that he was emaciated when he died and may need died of warmth stroke, in accordance with the criticism. French Bulldogs are identified to be susceptible to dying from warmth stroke as a result of they generally endure from respiratory points. Hanson stated Charlie had no identified medical points.
The North Studying lieutenant who authored the criticism towards Ragland wrote that he believes she not solely supposed to maintain the Hansons’ deposit regardless of having no intentions of coaching Charlie, however deliberate to gather the remainder of the cash for Charlie’s coaching even after he had died.
North Studying police in the end charged Ragland on Sept. 25 with larceny over $1,200 and intimidation of a witness.
Ragland has not responded to repeated makes an attempt to contact her by cellphone and e mail.
Earlier alleged incidents in California
Based on the criticism, police in Palo Alto, California, supplied North Studying police with almost 50 pages on their investigation into Ragland following the disappearance of a German Shepherd named Scott, who continues to be lacking.
Scott’s proprietor, Carolina Bruchilari, employed Ragland to take him for a two-week coaching in mid-December 2022, NBC Bay Space reported in January, not naming Ragland because the coach. When Ragland introduced again a canine on the finish of the coaching interval, she allegedly returned a special German Shepherd.
When confronted, Ragland stated that Scott had damaged via a window display whereas within the care of one other coach she had left him with whereas she handled a household emergency, Bruchilari instructed the information station. Bruchilari stated Ragland instructed her Scott was “undoubtedly useless” and blamed the false Scott on the opposite coach, explaining that she hadn’t realized the coach had given her again a special canine.
Based on the criticism, after chatting with 18 of Ragland’s former purchasers, Palo Alto police suspected her of “not being a respectable canine coach.”
“These statements clearly point out patterns and apply of abuse and neglect of the animals in Ms. Ragland’s care,” the criticism says. “Most of the animals being returned [were] emaciated, having not been correctly fed, [and were covered] in urine and/or feces. Most of the canine, as soon as returned, confirmed no proof of getting obtained the coaching that was mentioned of their agreements [as well as] indicators of maximum nervousness and worry.”
Palo Alto police stated Monday that their investigation into Ragland is full and that they’re awaiting a dedication from the Santa Clara County District Lawyer’s Workplace as as to whether prison fees are warranted.
What’s subsequent
North Studying police issued a summons for Ragland. She is because of be arraigned on Oct. 13. The Connecticut Division of Agriculture’s Animal Management Division stated Monday that its investigation into Ragland is ongoing and wouldn’t remark additional.
All Thumbtack listings belonging to Ragland have been taken down. The web site declined to reply questions on Ragland or how their scores and background checks work, however supplied a press release.
“We’re actively investigating this case. We take the integrity of our platform critically and can proceed to take motion in the very best curiosity of our group,” a Thumbtack spokesperson stated.
Hanson stated he’s nonetheless working to get the $1,500 he paid Ragland again. He has arrange an e mail deal with, [email protected], for Ragland’s purchasers in any state to contact him.
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