New Bedford Mother-Daughter Duo Convicted of Animal Cruelty

NEW BEDFORD (WBSM) — A New Bedford woman and her daughter were sentenced to jail for animal cruelty.

Korina Ferreira, 46, was convicted of two counts of animal cruelty connected to a 2020 investigation by New Bedford Police and Animal Control Officers.

Ferreira's daughter, Alexis Santin, 26, faced 39 counts of animal cruelty charges.

Ferreira was sentenced to two and a half years in the Bristol County House of Corrections, with one year to serve and the balance suspended. She was also placed on five-year probation with an order not to own or work with any animals.

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The charges date back to December 1, 2020, when New Bedford Animal Control Officers responded to Cedar Street in New Bedford after receiving a welfare check request for animals.

During the home investigation, officers discovered 13 cats being kept in a small bedroom filled with urine and feces and other animals living in similar conditions. Due to the overwhelming smell of toxic ammonia levels, officers dressed themselves in personal protective equipment to conduct the search.

Police testified that the dogs in the home were severely malnourished and had injuries on their bodies that compared to bed sores.

A total of 34 photos depicting the animals' condition and living environment were entered as exhibits during the trial.

If Ferreira is charged with committing a new crime during probation, she is liable to serve the remaining 18 months of the two-and-a-half-year term.

According to court documents, Santin already had an open 2023 animal cruelty case pending in New Bedford District Court at the time of Ferreira's trial.

During that time, she was re-arrested and charged with 39 new counts of animal cruelty.

Strict conditions were set upon her release, including not caring for any animals, surrendering all animals to Animal Control within two days, no longer residing at the Cedar Street apartment, reporting in person to probation once a week, and attending mental health evaluation and counseling.

Santin is due back in court on March 27 for a pretrial hearing.