Selden Woman Accused of Torturing Animals Makes Court Appearances
NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- A Selden mother of seven accused of running a "concentration camp" for animals made two court appearances Tuesday.
Carol D'Auria reports
Sharon McDonough, 43, made her first appearance in Family Court, where a judge ordered a psychiatric evaluation. Of her seven children, two will be staying with the eldest son, two go into foster care, and two will stay with friends, 1010 WINS has learned.
She then made an appearance in criminal court on animal abuse charges, but entered no plea. She has a new attorney and will make another court appearance possibly next month.
Dozens of concerned pet owners contacted authorities following the gruesome discovery of more than 20 animal carcasses in the backyard of McDonough's Long Island home, a scene described by one veteran SPCA official as something out of a horror movie.
In addition to the dead animals, five dogs and a cat were found alive, suffering from maltreatment, inside cramped cages in a room of the house, said Roy Gross, chief of the Suffolk County SPCA.
Authorities also want to know whether any animals were stolen from neighbors. Gross said the SPCA has received "dozens of calls'' from pet owners who say their animals went missing in the area. He said the district attorney could file larceny or other charges if the investigation reveals that animals had been stolen.
An SPCA officer for nearly 25 years, Gross said the discovery of the animal carcasses was one of the worst scenes he had ever witnessed.
"This is one I probably will never forget,'' Gross said. "It was like watching a horror film unfold in front of us.
The sickening smell was sometimes overpowering to our officers and the firefighters.''
He confirmed that authorities were alerted to the scene by McDonough's 21-year-old son, Douglas.
"It was a concentration camp for the animals,'' Douglas McDonough told reporters outside his home on Saturday. It was not immediately clear why McDonough had reported his mother to authorities.
Inset photos of rescued dogs by Mona Rivera
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NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- A Selden mother of seven accused of running a "concentration camp" for animals made two court appearances Tuesday.
