New Bedford Woman Found With 19 Dead Animals in Home

NEW BEDFORD — Amanda Vicente, 39, of 79 Query St., New Bedford, was arrested by New Bedford Police Thursday on one charge of child abuse and 17 counts of animal cruelty after police found 19 dead animals and 17 living animals at her home.

Police and Animal Control responded to the address after reports that a stray dog that had been picked up over the weekend might belong to that address. In searching the house, police found 19 dead animals and 17 living animals in 27 cages.

The dead animals included lizards, hamsters, cockatiels and finches. Many of the living animals, including a bull mastiff, were emaciated and lacking food and water.

Her 13-year-old son was living in the home amid the dead animals. He had dead lizards in cages in his room. There were piles of feces in the kitchen and the house was in disarray, with piles of clothes, trash and empty cages in the dining room. The boy is now in the custody of relatives.

The surviving animals were taken to a veterinary clinic for care and will be released to Forever Paws animal shelter.

She was released by Third District Court Judge Robert Ovoian on personal recognizance on condition that she not possess any animals. The Bristol County District Attorney’s Office had requested $1,500 bail, a mental health evaluation and that she not be allowed to possess animals.

She is scheduled for a pretrial conference Dec. 20.

--New Bedford Police