Prosecutors say video shows puppy lured with food before being run over
A 75-year-old Anaheim woman faces a federal animal crushing charge after prosecutors said she lured a 9-week-old puppy beneath her minivan with food and ran over the animal, killing it.
Hanh Minh Nguyen, of Anaheim, was charged Thursday with animal crushing, a federal felony punishable by up to seven years in prison.
Prosecutors said Friday that investigators obtained surveillance video showing a woman releasing a black-and-white pit bull puppy from a Honda Odyssey minivan in September. The video allegedly shows the woman dropping food near the driver’s door and gesturing for the puppy to approach, according to prosecutors.
As the vehicle moved forward, its rear tire ran over the animal, prosecutors said. Prosecutors said the driver stopped with the vehicle resting on the puppy for about 15 seconds before leaving.
An examination of the animal’s remains found that the puppy died from a crushed skull and suffered severe pain for several minutes before its death, prosecutors said.
Police identified Nguyen as the suspected driver and arrested her Oct. 1.
In addition to the federal case, Nguyen faces animal cruelty charges in Orange County Superior Court.