Animal cruelty case going to grand jury

A woman charged with harming and abandoning animals waived her right to a preliminary hearing in Lorain Municipal Court and will have her case go before a county grand jury, court records show.

Amanda Pippens, 34, appeared Monday afternoon before Lorain Municipal Court Judge Thomas Elwell.

Pippens and Morris Ellison, 36, each face a misdemeanor charge of abandoning animals and a felony charge of cruelty to companion animals by causing serious physical harm, court records show.

Pippens and Ellison, who appear to be engaged, moved out of a home on the 500 block of Washington Avenue in Lorain in the middle of the night this summer, police say.

They left behind two dogs, according to Lorain police. Both had bones visible and were emaciated, police say.

Both dogs were taken to the Lorain Animal Clinic where one died a few days later, according to police.

Ellison was also scheduled to be in court Monday but did not appear, resulting in Judge Elwell signing a warrant for Ellison to be arrested for contempt of court, Lorain Municipal Court records show.

Ellison had previously entered a plea of not guilty, court records show. Both Ellison and Pippens had each posted their $5,000 bond on Thursday, according to online court records.