Sunbury woman waives hearing on cruelty to animal charges

Jan. 2—SUNBURY — A Sunbury woman who faces felony charges of endangering the welfare of children and cruelty to animals waived a preliminary hearing Tuesday.

Natalie Alexander, 27, of Chestnut Street, appeared before Sunbury District Judge Rachel Wiest-Benner on Tuesday after Sunbury police said they discovered a deceased dog in a crate and two headless cats inside a city home in November.

Police say they were called to a home on Chestnut Street for a report of animal cruelty.

They were told by a witness that one of the children that had been inside the house said a "dog was dead."

When the reporting witness entered the home, the individual said they believed the dog — a bull boxer named "Biggie" — was dead inside a crate, police said.

The individual transported the dog to an animal hospital and was told the dog had been dead for a few days due to starvation, police wrote in arrest papers.

Arresting officer Dara Golden-Kieski said when officers arrived, the home was littered with garbage, filth, dirt, bugs, and rodent droppings, according to court documents.

The children, ages 10 and 3, were placed with other family members due to the conditions of the home, and Bremigen said as he continued through the house, he discovered two headless cats decomposing in an upstairs room, Golden-Kieski said in the criminal complaint.

Bremigen also said police found drug paraphernalia inside the home.