MIDDLEBURG, Fla. – A widely shared account that juveniles tried to drown a puppy at the Middleburg boat ramp was fabricated, Clay County Sheriff Michelle Cook said Monday.
The sheriff said investigators spent hundreds of hours following leads after a May 20 report alleged several juveniles had abused and attempted to drown the puppy, known as Ghost. The allegation prompted extensive canvassing, witness interviews and searches for video evidence.
Recommended Videos
Cook said the couple who took possession of the puppy, identified as Zachery and Amber Manning, told investigators they had found the dog and accepted it when the owner offered to rehome it. Because their landlord did not allow pets, the couple concocted a false story about the dog’s abuse to gain sympathy and persuade the landlord to let them keep the dog, the sheriff said.
“We spent hundreds of hours canvassing the neighborhood, interviewing potential witnesses, looking for video evidence,” Sheriff Cook said. “When we confronted [the Mannings], they finally admitted that they had made up the story.”
News4JAX previously reported that Allen Belton and his wife took Ghost in and cared for him until he died days later. A necropsy by a veterinarian determined the dog died of natural causes and not by drowning, Cook said. The sheriff’s office said that the Beltons were told the false story by the Mannings.
The sheriff said the Mannings avoided interviews for weeks before admitting they had fabricated the account.
Detective Dean Winters, who led much of the probe, received heavy public criticism online as investigators worked the case, the sheriff said, and thanked residents who provided tips and information.
First Coast Crime Stoppers also offered a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the juveniles involved in the case.
“We would not be here today if it weren’t for all the people coming forward, trying to help,” she said.
Cook said they are working with the state attorney’s office to pursue charges related to making a false report and lying to investigators.
Further updates will be released as the case develops, she said.