When Hoke County, North Carolina, officials visited a Raeford home last month to follow up on a complaint of animal cruelty, they found one dog’s corpse, another malnourished dog, and an underfed 6-year-old girl living in unsanitary conditions, according to a Tuesday release from the sheriff’s office.
Staff Sgt. Benjamin Neuman, 32, was arrested and turned over to Fort Bragg, according to an XVIII Airborne Corps spokesman.
“The investigation is ongoing,” Lt. Col. Michael Burns told Army Times.
Neuman, who is assigned to the 16th Military Police Brigade ― Fort Bragg’s on-post law enforcement command ― faces civilian charges of cruelty to animals, killing an animal by starvation, child abuse and contributing to the delinquency of a child, according to Burns.
Officials visited the home on Aug. 17 and returned to make an arrest on Aug. 29, the Hoke County release said.
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“Neuman was taken into custody and further investigation revealed that the juvenile resident of the home was not fed properly and in extremely unsanitary conditions,” the release said. “The child was taken into safe custody by the Hoke County Department of Social Services.”
A GoFundMe has been set up to support the surviving dog, a Great Dane that is in the care of a local animal hospital.
Meghann Myers is the Pentagon bureau chief at Military Times. She covers operations, policy, personnel, leadership and other issues affecting service members.
