Mariah Reeves

By Josh Lanier From Daily Voice

A Connecticut woman is accused of starving her dog to death and leaving the body in a cage outside an abandoned home in Mansfield, state police said.

Mariah Reeves, of Windham, is accused of leaving the dog, a boxer-Husky mix named Girl, dead and locked in a cage in front of the property on Route 32 next to a bowling alley. Connecticut State Police said Girl had lost 36 pounds over six months before dying a slow, painful death by starvation. 

Detectives traced the dog through a microchip. It led them to her original owner, who told police she had given Girl to a friend in April. She showed text messages proving the handoff.

She said she adopted Girl in May 2023 and that the dog had been “a gentle, close part of the family.” After the dog had puppies, she became more protective. 

“Ever since them, for some reason, Girl became a little too protective over me, so I made the extremely tough decision to rehome her,” the original owner told police.

She said she gave Reeves food and supplies, and the woman promised to love and care for Girl. Over the next few months, the two stayed in touch through texts and video calls. Then Reeves began asking for money, saying she was broke and couldn’t afford dog food, according to a police report.

By late May, the new owner blamed Girl for damage in the home and said the dog had bitten someone. The original owner offered to take the dog back, but got no reply. The last photo she received in July showed Girl looking happy, she told police. She said she believed the dog was safe.

In total, the woman said she sent Reeves more than $800 over the summer.

When police went to Reeve's home in October, they smelled rotting flesh permeating the air, a report said. Neighbors said the stench had been getting worse for two weeks before they called a property manager.

When investigators reached the suspect by phone, she claimed she had given Girl to “an old friend,” but declined to say who had the animal. Police said she refused to let them search her apartment or show proof of rehoming the dog.

Reeves was arrested and charged with animal cruelty and other offenses. Her bond was set at $10,000, State Police said.