No contest plea in frozen kittens case
Apr. 10—WILKES-BARRE — A woman from Swoyersville who allegedly kept deceased kittens in a freezer pled no contest to two felony animal cruelty offenses Monday.
Susann Veronica Cheslick, 53, of Hughes Street, was charged by humane officers with the SPCA of Luzerne County in May 2022, after 28 deceased felines estimated to be one-to-two days old were found in a freezer of her former apartment on South River Street, Plains Township, according to court records.
Humane officers were at the apartment after the county Animal Response Team removed nearly 30 cats from the Plains Township that was found to be in deplorable conditions with a strong odor of urine and feces throughout the building.
The frozen kittens were found in a freezer several days later.
Humane officers in court records say the kittens were alive when placed in the freezer.
Cheslick, through her attorney, Katelyn Spellman, pled no contest to two counts of aggravated cruelty to animals before Luzerne County Judge Joseph F. Sklarosky Jr.
A no contest plea means a defendant does not admit guilt but accepts prosecutors have enough evidence to secure a conviction.
Prosecutors withdrew 26 other counts of aggravated cruelty to animals, 26 misdemeanor counts of cruelty to animals, 26 summary counts of cruelty to animals, 31 summary counts of neglect of animals and one misdemeanor count of neglect of animals against Cheslick.
Cheslick is scheduled to be sentenced June 1.
