Paragould woman arrested after four ‘emaciated’ horses found at home

PARAGOULD, Ark. (KAIT) – Greene County sheriff’s deputies arrested a Paragould woman on suspicion of aggravated animal cruelty after they reported finding four emaciated horses without food and little water.

Sgt. Don Crittenden said the sheriff’s office received a complaint about a severely neglected horse being kept on Greene County Road 778.

When deputies arrived at the location, the affidavit said they found four “emaciated equine” inside a fence area with no available grass, hay or feed.

Three of the horses had a tub of stagnated water, while the fourth had a water container with less than ¼ inch of water in the bottom, Crittenden said.

Deputies contacted the horses’ owner, Jessica Noel, who said she was taking care of the horses, but that they had mites, the court documents said. She also told deputies they had been out of hay for several days.

“A local veterinarian assessed all four of the animals and stated that other than severe neglect they did not appear to have any medical reason for being so emaciated,” Crittenden said.

During the investigation, detectives learned that one horse had recently died at the residence, the affidavit said.

“The cause of that animal’s death is unknown,” Crittenden said, adding that “multiple Greene County residents have contacted the sheriff’s department with concerns for the animals being kept” at the home.

On Oct. 10, Greene County District Court Judge Curtis Hitt found probable cause to charge Noel with four counts of aggravated cruelty to a dog, cat or equine, a Class D felony, and issued a warrant for her arrest.

Noel is being held on a $50,000 cash/surety bond awaiting her next court appearance. According to the warrant, the judge also ordered her to undergo a mental evaluation and not possess any animals.