Mother accused of instructing son to shoot neighbor's puppy

PAHRUMP, Nev. -- A rural Nevada woman is accused of taking her children with her to abduct and kill a neighbor's dog in a revenge killing in a remote desert area about 60 miles west of Las Vegas.

Nye County sheriff's Sgt. David Boruchowitz said Wednesday that 40-year-old Maria Furtado of Pahrump is accused of having her 3-year-old and 15-year-old children with her during the Sunday incident, and of having the teen shoot the dog at least once.

The sheriff's deputy says investigators believe Furtado was retaliating after the puppy attacked and killed Furtado's two ducklings last week.

Chief Pahrump Justice Court Clerk Alisa Shoults says the woman didn't have a lawyer and remained jailed on animal cruelty, felony child abuse and neglect and misdemeanor theft charges following her initial court appearance Wednesday.

Judge set bail at $25,000 and scheduled arraignment for next week.

She is due in court again Aug. 19.