A woman was taken into custody following the tragic death of her elderly mother, who had dementia, in a brutal dog attack. Authorities responding to the incident in a rural area of Colorado, United States, found approximately 24 dogs owned by Jessica Hoff, many of which were undernourished and living in unsanitary conditions.
Upon discovering the deceased 76-year-old LaVonne Hoff, law enforcement officers searched a second property and uncovered additional dogs, totaling 54 in all. Jessica Hoff, a resident of Colorado City, now faces charges of criminal negligence leading to the death of a vulnerable adult and 54 counts of severe animal mistreatment. Animal control took custody of the dogs and several birds found at the second location.
Reports indicate that Hoff had left her mother unattended at home while she ran errands in Pueblo, despite her mother requiring constant care. During her absence, a group of dogs attacked and fatally injured her mother. Prior to the tragic event on February 3, the dogs had been allowed to roam freely inside the house. LaVonne Hoff was declared dead at the scene, with an autopsy confirming the cause of death as a dog attack. Hoff was apprehended on March 21 and is being held at Pueblo County jail.
A statement from the Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office revealed that deputies responded to the residence where they found LaVonne Hoff unresponsive, surrounded by loose dogs and caged birds. The investigation unveiled that Jessica Hoff had left her mother alone with the dogs on the day of the incident. The dogs and birds were discovered in unsanitary conditions at both of Hoff’s properties in Colorado City, leading to their seizure by Animal Law Enforcement.