A Colorado woman has been arrested after authorities say she left her elderly mother—who had dementia—alone in a house filled with dozens of dogs, leading to a heartbreaking tragedy.
Jessica Hoff, 47, was taken into custody on Friday, March 21, following an investigation into the February death of her 76-year-old mother, LaVonne Hoff. According to the Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office, LaVonne was found dead in their Colorado City home after suffering fatal injuries from a dog attack.
It all started on February 3, when deputies responded to a distress call about an unconscious woman at the house on Jefferson Blvd. When they arrived, they were met with chaos—dogs running loose inside the home and nearly two dozen more crammed into cages. Seven birds were also found in cages throughout the house.
Sadly, LaVonne had already passed away when emergency responders got there. Authorities later confirmed through an autopsy that she died from injuries caused by the dogs. Officials said LaVonne had dementia and required around-the-clock care, but Jessica had allegedly left her alone that day while she ran errands in Pueblo, about 25 miles away.
As the investigation continued, detectives searched another property owned by Jessica in Colorado City. There, they uncovered even more animals—54 dogs and seven birds—all living in filthy and unhealthy conditions. Many of the dogs were malnourished and in poor health. Animal law enforcement stepped in to rescue the animals.
Jessica is now facing serious legal trouble. She has been charged with criminal negligence resulting in the death of an at-risk adult, along with 54 counts of aggravated animal cruelty. She is currently being held in the Pueblo County Jail on a $50,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in court on March 27.
