U.S. News - pinellas

Jan

2013

11:44am, EST

Florida couple charged with cruelty after 300 animals found in their home

By NBC News staff

A southwest Florida couple was charged with animal cruelty and child abuse after police responding to a call about a missing child found 300 neglected animals in their home, NBC affiliate WESH reported.

Pinellas County Sheriff's Office

Police booking photo of Jeffrey O'Neill

The animals, including snakes, lizards, rats and rabbits, were being held in 88 cages in deplorable conditions, authorities told WESH, and some were even found dead.

Jeffrey O'Neil and Jennifer Kovacs were breeding the animals and selling them without licensing out of Kovacs' mother's home in Oldsmar, Fla., officials said.

Pinellas County Sheriff authorities responded Sunday to a call from the couple about the disappearance of their 16-month-old daughter, WESH reported.

Pinellas County Sheriff's Office

Police booking photo of Jennifer Kovacs

According to the TV station, the infant was found unharmed at a relative's home, where the relative took her after failing to awaken the allegedly intoxicated couple, authorities said.

Kovacs' mother, Joyce, told WTSP she is happy the animals have been hauled from her home.

"You can't let the animals overtake you and basically that's what it is," Joyce Kovacs told WESH. "When you're not employed and you don't have the money to feed them it's just, you know, you don't know what to do."

The animals are now under the care of the SPCA Tampa Bay, which removed them from the home.

"I'm kind of devastated, you know. I guess I feel bad for Jennifer and Jeff that they're sitting in jail, and yet they brought this all on themselves," Joyce Kovacs told WTSP.

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Oct

2012

11:53am, EDT

Woman rides wild manatee in Florida, turns herself in

Pinellas County Sheriff's Office

Authorities released this photo of a woman reportedly riding a manatee.

By NBC News staff

A woman who police said was seen touching and riding a manatee in Fort De Soto Park in Pinellas, Fla., over the weekend turned herself in to the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office, Tampa Bay Times reported.

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Ana Gloria Garcia Gutierrez, 52, told police Tuesday that she wasn't aware what she did was against the law, the report said.

Witnesses gave authorities her description and photos of her riding the sea cow, which is a second-degree misdemeanor. She was seen riding the manatee at 1 p.m. Sunday in the water north of Gulf Pier, authorities said.

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Gutierrez was not arrested or charged, but the charges were referred to the state attorney's office, according to the Times.

The Florida Manatee Sanctuary Acts states that: "It is unlawful for any person at any time, by any means, or in any manner intentionally or negligently to annoy, molest, harass, or disturb or attempt to molest, harass, or disturb any manatee."

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Authorities say the penalty for the woman could be up to 60 days in jail and a possible fine of $500.

Authorities don't believe any manatees were injured.

"It's a wild animal. It's not something to be ridden," Susan Butler, a manatee expert with the U.S. Geological Survey in Gainesville, told the Times. "I can't say that as a biologist I would ever, ever condone that, or say that (the manatee) wanted them to do that."

This article includes reporting by Lisa Orkin Emmanuel, NBCMiami.com, and NBC News staff.

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