Update:
According to the Sangamon County State's Attorney's office, the remains of a dog belonging to Taryn Goodwin, 30, of Springfield, was found in her residence in the 1200 block of East Ash on Dec. 5, 2020.
The office says the dog had been abandoned in the residence without access to food or water which resulted in the dog's death.
"The heartbreaking death of this animal was entirely preventable and unnecessary," said Dan Wright, Sangamon County State's Attorney. "There are criminal consequences for those who commit such inhumane acts of extreme cruelty against a defenseless animal."
Both the Springfield Police Department and Sangamon County Animal Control investigated this case.
WARNING: The following image may be considered graphic.
Original:
A dog is dead and his owner is now facing animal cruelty charges.
The dog, Sii, was found dead inside a residence on Saturday, Dec. 5 by the tenant's landlord, Shane Sullivan.
Sullivan says the tenant, Taryn Goodwin, hadn't paid rent for four months.
After going by the residence on multiple occasions with no answer, Sullivan says he gave the owner 24-hour notice of entry.
When Sullivan walked inside the apartment he was heartbroken at what he discovered, Sii dead on the floor.
"This individual's pet was left alone waiting for the person they counted on and loved unconditionally to come home... and they waited till the very end, but that person/parent didn't come home," wrote landlord Shane Sullivan.
Animal control was notified of the incident the same day, according to Bill Dart with the Sangamon County Health Department.
"If someone could have called this in," Dart said. "I assume the poor animal was probably announcing, maybe barking indicating it was suffering in there. If there would have been a call made, we could have stepped in before it was dead."
Goodwin is now facing charges of aggravated cruelty to an animal and two counts of violation of owner's duties.
We're told Sii was adopted from the Animal Protective League.