Detroit woman charged with animal cruelty

SANDUSKY — Local law enforcement officials arrested a Detroit woman on Wednesday after she allegedly left her dog inside a hot car outside of Cedar Point. The woman, 24, was arrested by Sandusky police after they were called to respond to the main parking lot of Cedar Point at about 12:30 p.m. after park security received a text message complaint regarding a dog that appeared to be in distress. When officers first arrived at the park, they allegedly observed a small husky inside the vehicle with no water present, the windows down one-third of the way, and the dog did not appear to be in distress, according to a city police report. Park security agreed to keep an eye on the vehicle and the dog and to inform officers should greater concern arise regarding the dog's well-being. About an hour later, security reported they were back with the vehicle after a concerned citizen reportedly contacted the Erie County dog warden directly about the dog, the report states. When police returned to the park a second time, they reportedly saw the dog warden using a thermometer to check the inside temperature, which measured between 110 degrees and 112 degrees. At that time, the dog still had no water. A short time later, the woman unlocked the vehicle and identified the dog as her own. Due to the rising heat and lack of water, Sandusky police arrested her, transported her to the Erie County Jail, and charged her with cruelty to animals, a second-degree misdemeanor. Shortly following her arrest, the woman — after being incarcerated at the Erie County Jail — was released on a $250 bond, according to Sandusky Municipal Court records.