Animal cruelty charges filed

A Montgomery County woman has been arrested on charges related to the death of her dog, Champ, who died after he was left outside in sub-zero temperatures.

Cecelia Ann Johnson, 64, of Norristown, is charged with felony aggravated cruelty to animals and neglect of an animal. Both are misdemeanors.

According to authorities, Norristown Police received an anonymous tip just before noon on Jan. 6 about a dead dog outside of a residence on the 1200 block of Swede Street. When officers arrived, they found a deceased dog lying on the ground between a doghouse and a fence outside.

In a press release issued Wednesday announcing the charges, the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office and Norristown Police noted temperatures during the evening prior to the dog’s death had fallen as low as minus 2 degrees with a wind chill of negative 20 degrees. Montgomery County officials had issued a Code Blue weather warning alerting residence temperatures would be dangerously low that night.

An animal autopsy of the dog found the cause of death to be “hypothermia due to prolonged exposure to low ambient temperatures” and the manner of death to be “not accidental (neglect),” according to police.

“This dog, Champ, suffered as he froze to death just because his owner did not take him inside on one of the coldest nights of the winter,” Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin R. Steele said in the release. “She left him outside without food, without water and without adequate shelter.”

Johnson was arraigned April 6 before District Judge Margaret Hunsicker. Bail was set at $10,000 unsecured and Johnson was released. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for April 19 at 11 a.m. before Magisterial District Judge Gregory Scott.

“Treating an animal so inhumanely is a serious crime and we are going to seek justice for Champ’s death,” Steele said.

Cecelia Ann Johnson