Hialeah woman behind bars after video shows her repeatedly beating dog, police say
A Hialeah woman faces three felony counts of animal cruelty after surveillance video captured her repeatedly beating a dog and suspending it upside down by its legs, according to police.
Miriam Yilian De La Rosa appeared in bond court, where Miami-Dade Circuit Court Judge Mindy Glazer found probable cause, set bond at $2,500 per count — totaling $7,500 — and appointed a public defender. Glazer also ordered Delarosa to stay away from the animal.
What she's accused of
According to police, the initial incident occurred on Sept. 16 at the Metro Parc apartments, located at 952 East 26th St… Surveillance footage showed De La Rosa maneuvering two dogs in a stroller and attempting to nudge a third dog through a door with her foot. When the third dog slipped out of its collar and ran, police said De La Rosa chased it, grabbed it roughly, and suspended it upside down by its neck and legs.
Police reported two additional incidents of "repeated and excessive physical abuse" at the building. In one instance, De La Rosa allegedly struck the dog in the face eight times in an unprovoked attack while walking it. In another instance, after the dog went to the bathroom in an elevator, De La Rosa reportedly hit the animal 10 times and held it by its legs.
De La Rosa told police she had been fostering the dog for the past two months after learning it had been previously abused.
Miami-Dade Animal Services confirmed that all three dogs are in their care, but they were unable to confirm what foster program the victim dog may have belonged to.
CBS News Miami attempted to contact someone at De La Rosa's fifth-floor apartment, but the phone was hung up.
Neighbors react to the allegations
Neighbor Noelbis Delaroz, who owns a 14-year-old Chihuahua, expressed dismay over the allegations.
"I treat my dog like my own family. I could never hurt or mistreat her, not for anything in the world," Delaroz said. "For a person to mistreat an animal like that, it is horrible."
Another neighbor, Ruben Pobada, said he recognized the suspect but never saw her hitting any of her animals before he was shown the surveillance videos.
"I don't understand when the people fight the dogs. If you have 3 dogs, it's because you love the dogs," Pobada said. "It's not logical. I never. My dog is my kid, my daughter."
De La Rosa is charged with third-degree felony animal cruelty with intent to injure. Each count carries a maximum sentence of up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
Hialeah police declined an on-camera interview but released a statement affirming their commitment to investigating animal cruelty and holding offenders accountable when evidence supports charges.