12 September 2013
SUMNER, IA (KWWL) - September 12, 2013 -, Melissa Happel found out six of her show horses had escaped from their pasture on Tuesday morning, September 11, 2013. All of the horses were found but one, Prince.
Happel called the Bremer County Sheriff’s office to report the incident as she searched for her missing horse.
A Bremer County deputy said a pole had fallen over the fence, which allowed the horses to escape but Happel thinks otherwise.
A deputy from Bremer County Sheriff’s Department came soon after to have a look around. He said a pole had fallen over the fence, allowing the horses to escape.
Later that afternoon, they found Prince in the woods behind the pasture out of breath and seriously overheated. A call was made to the vet who said there was nothing he could do to save Prince. Prince died a few hours later.
Is it possible that someone tampered with the fence? No one is sure what actually happen but since a section of the fence looked like it was broken from the outside, It appears that some of the sections were removed which supports the though of suspicious activity. Happel thinks the horses did not get out without help.
The sheriff’s department stated that no footprints were found in the area, and there was no indication of fence tampering. They will continue to follow up on the investigation.
The owner has watched her Prince die. She wants answers.
Melissa wrote NetPosse when Prince was missing, but he was found before she could file a report. Now, she is devastated, and wants answers, as she does not believe this was an act of nature: "... not all info was released to the public by far. The fence that the pole fell on was not even a fence that meant anything ... That was not even a place horses could get out. What was failed to be told by press is there [were] six entrance gates removed from this pasture. The deputies have taken pictures of tire tracks and have a vehicle descrription from a neighbor. So much they are not telling people.. also the police took [a] new report of any damage done on tues when they were called out. After this was brought out to the media they called me thurs asking if they could come out and take pictures. They wanted to push this case off like it was no big deal and thought it would get dropped but that isn't going to happen."
Melissa needs our help to find those responsible for Prince's demise ... Please contact us or authorities with any tips or post your thoughts on our Facebool page, Stolen Horse International, Inc. aka NetPosse.com, under this article thread.
Read full details and watch a news video. Click here.
RESOURCE: KWWL NEWS, Thursday, September 12, Written by Michael Crowe, http://www.kwwl.com/story/23409578/2013/09/12/horse-death-suspicious-owner-says
News Follow Up: Owner remains suspicous of horse death
SUMNER --- The Bremer County Sheriff's office has not found evidence that someone deliberately released six horses from a rural Sumner property leading to the death of one horse.
The owner of the horses maintains the death was the result of deliberate actions.
"I won't consider this matter closed until I get answers on this whole thing," said Melissa Happel.
Continue reading article. Click here.
RESOURCE: WCF Courier, September 15, 2013,
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