Maricopa County Attorney answers why charges against April McLaughlin were sent back to police
PHOENIX - Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell is addressing questions on the Chandler animal and elder abuse case that has sparked national attention.
Charges were sent back to police by the Maricopa County Attorney's Office, leading to frustration on social media. What exactly does this mean?
This means the case was sent back to Chandler Police for further investigation.
Judge denies April McLaughlin's plea for dogs' return
It has been weeks since officials seized dozens of animals from a Chandler home that some describe as a 'house of horrors.' On Oct. 11, the woman who lived in the home, April McLaughlin, asked a judge to return some of the animals to her. FOX 10's Stephanie Bennett repots.
Mitchell said on Oct. 18 that the charges could come back to her office depending on what else the Chandler Police Department finds during its investigation.
This all unfolded several weeks ago after a search warrant was executed inside a Chandler home of a woman named April McLaughlin.
Chandler Police found 55 special needs dogs packed inside a 950-square-foot home.
Body cam shows welfare check for mother of accused animal, elder abuser
The Chandler Police Department released body cam footage to FOX 10 on Oct. 16 from June 30 showing a welfare check at April McLaughlin's home. She's the woman Chandler Police officers accuse of animal and elder abuse. The check came after her mother, Kathleen McLaughlin, reported she was being abused while visiting a library.
Investigators snapped photos of the squalid conditions, described as "unbreathable," as several dogs were discovered in such poor health that they needed to be euthanized.
Five dead puppies were also found by police inside the home's freezer.
Also living inside was McLaughlin's 79-year-old mother Kathleen.
In an exclusive interview with FOX 10, she said she had to sleep on the couch and was forced to use the restroom outside.
Chandler abuse probe: Alleged victim talks about 'house of horrors'
It has been weeks since news spread of an animal and adult abuse investigation involving a Chandler woman, and now, the woman who was allegedly abused by the suspect is talking about her time at the so-called 'house of horrors.' FOX 10 Investigator Justin Lum reports.
Police booked McLaughlin on over 100 misdemeanor charges of animal abuse, as well as one felony for vulnerable adult abuse.
Those charges were later dismissed. MCAO sent them back to Chandler Police for further investigation.
Why?
It’s a question brought up directly to county attorney Rachel Mitchell during one of her press conferences, asking specifically about the animal abuse charges.
"We do not prosecute misdemeanors in the county attorney’s office unless they are committed within unincorporated areas, and of course, this happened within the city of Chandler. Every animal abuse count that was submitted to us at the time was submitted to us as a misdemeanor. There was a felony count, but it was unrelated to the animal abuse. So that’s not sufficient for us to take on the case out of the hands of the city prosecutor," she said.
As for the felony of abuse of a vulnerable adult, Mitchell said her office has been in discussions with Chandler Police over some elements they might want to consider in their investigation.
April McLaughlin
What happens next, she says, depends on the evidence they uncover.
FOX 10 also reached out to the city of Chandler prosecutor who said the investigation is ongoing.
Although Mitchell didn't respond directly to the criticism her office is getting regarding this case, she says, her method is to get things right, not just get things fast.
She says in order to get a successful prosecution on criminal charges, each element of a criminal charge must be met beyond a reasonable doubt.
She says she wants to do everything she can do to make sure that the case is solid.