Hot car death: Florida man who stole car with disabled dog strapped in back seat arrested
On October 10, the Broward Sheriff’s Office (BSO) reported that their detectives arrested a Sunrise, Florida, man for a car theft that resulted in the death of a dog that was left in the car to perish after the thief abandoned the vehicle. Jephthe Jean Francois, 19, was arrested Wednesday night, October 9, and is now looking at a total of 15 criminal charges, including aggravated animal cruelty, burglary conveyance, grand theft of a vehicle and theft.
At approximately 12:30 p.m. on October 3, BSO deputies responded to 3420 N. Andrews Ave. in Oakland Park, following a call from a woman advising that her car had been stolen. The 2005 Volvo was parked in a handicapped space in the plaza with the engine running and doors unlocked while she was in the Dollar Tree. When she returned to her car, after approximately 10 minutes, the car was gone, along with her handicapped dog, Zorra.
Zorra, a Husky mix dog who required a wheelchair to walk, was strapped in the back seat.
Zorra’s owner, Wanda Ferrari, said Zorra’s two back legs had been paralyzed and she needed a doggie wheelchair to get around. Local animal rescue group 100+ Abandoned Dogs of Everglades Florida had offered a $3,000 reward for Zorra’s return and had hired pet detective Jamie Katz, a licensed private investigator who specializes in reuniting lost, missing and stolen pets with their families, to work the case. ~ NBC Miami
The stolen Volvo showed up when BSO detectives received a tip from a towing company after removing an illegally parked vehicle from the Boardwalk at Inverrary Apartments in Sunrise on October 7. Unfortunately, Zorra had been left to die in the stolen vehicle and was found deceased in the car.
Wanda Ferrari told CBS12 News Zorra rescued her as she went through breast cancer, and hoped she’d be able to rescue her pet alive.
Francois was arrested by Wilton Manors Police Department (WMPD) Wednesday night, October 9, for committing a burglary at a residence. He was a passenger in a stolen car that had several items that were later identified as stolen. WMPD contacted BSO to determine if any of the items were linked to any of BSO’s open cases. The key to the 2005 Volvo was one of the items found in the car.
Police said that at the time of his arrest, Francois was on pre-trial release and was wearing an ankle monitor. Detectives were able to confirm his location on the day of the incident through the GPS monitoring system.
Francois was booked into the BSO Main Jail. Fox News reported that he is being held without bond.
For more on this tragic tale, see the video accompanying this article.
(Source: Broward Sheriff’s Office)
~ Posted by Richard Webster, Ace News Today / Connect with Richard on Facebook and Twitter
