Andrew Winningham, a Miami Gardens, Florida property manager, was arrested Wednesday after he allegedly failed to provide adequate care for three horses, news sources report. Winningham was booked into the Miami-Dade County Jail on charges of confinement of animals without food or exercise and animal cruelty. It is unclear whether he qualified for bail bond. The press did not specify a criminal defense lawyer for Winningham.
According to reports, the incident occurred at a ranch in Miami Gardens. So far, police say they have not figured out who owns the ranch or the horses, though it appears Winningham was the one responsible for caring for the animals. It is unclear whether the owner or owners of the horses knew of the alleged neglect.
Though it is unclear who tipped them off, the South Florida Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals went to the ranch on Sunday. The organization took custody of two paint horses that were locked inside stalls without access to food or water, sources say. Conditions had reportedly gotten so bad that the horses were forced to eat wood and their own feces. One of the horses, a four-year-old mare, was found to be suffering from colic (stomach problems). "The caretaker admitted to concealing these animals because he didn't have anyone to call or contact," a police spokesperson appears to have said in reports.
On Wednesday, officers returned to the ranch to follow up on the case and found another four-year-old racehorse, reports say. Reports say Winningham hid the horse during the investigation and seizure on Sunday; he later said that the racehorse was in poor condition when he purchased it, reports say. "Our officers observed a very, very, extremely skinny horse," a police spokesperson reportedly commented. "It appeared to have bug bites, a lot of cuts, appeared to be malnourished." Regarding the condition of the animals, the spokesperson stated, "At this point we just want to make sure that -- number one -- the horses get better treatment."
Although the owners of the animals and property have yet to be identified, some suspects apparently make it very easy for police to identify them. Anthony Dwayne Thomas of Ocala was arrested Tuesday after he was accused of stealing cash from a local gas station immediately after filling out an application for employment with his real name, sources report. Thomas, 33, was booked into police custody on one count of petit theft, one count of burglary, and one count of resisting with violence. It is currently unclear whether Thomas has qualified for bail or hired legal representation.