Babysitter arrested in death of dog in Sussex

An 18-year-old female is facing a felony charge of misttreatment of animals following an incident in the village of Sussex on Jan. 26.

According to a statement from the Waukesha County Sheriff’s Office, at 1:35 p.m. Jan. 26  the Waukesha County Communications Center was notified of a family dog that was found deceased inside of the owner’s residence in the Village of Sussex. Deputies arriving at the scene observed a deceased dog with a stab wound and plastic bag that had been placed over the dogs head.

“The family had a babysitter at the home on January 25th and suspected she had killed the dog, Batman, an 8-year-old Chihuahua. The 18-year-old female babysitter was interviewed at her residence in Washington County about the incident. She was subsequently arrested for mistreatment of animals, a violation under WI State Statute 951.02, and placed in the Waukesha County Jail, the Waukesha County Sheriff’s Department said in a news release. “Because the mistreatment led to the death of the animal, she has been held on the felony charge until her initial court appearance. While the victims of this incident grieve the loss of a beloved family pet, the Waukesha County Sheriff’s Department fully recognizes the severity of this crime. We are continuing to process evidence that was gathered at the scene in support of a criminal prosecution. “

The Waukesha County Sheriff’s Department was assisted by the Washington County Sheriff’s Department.