COLUMBIA COUNTY, Ga. - A Grovetown woman is charged with cruelty to animals after Columbia County Sheriff's Office says deputies found dead pets in her freezer, refrigerator, and bedroom.

Deputies say they went to the residence, located near S Old Belair Rd., after a neighbor reported having not seen anyone at the house since October. On the scene, an emaciated dog was inside the house, and was safely removed by Columbia County Animal Services.

When deputies gained entry into the home, they found destroyed furniture, holes chewed through the walls, and animal feces throughout the house. In the kitchen, deputies say blood was seeping from the freezer. Further investigation led deputies to discover the carcasses of three dogs in the freezer and three more in the refrigerator.

Deputies say three more deceased dogs were located in the master bedroom of the home, each in various stages of decomposition.

Margaret Nevils, 41, is charged with cruelty to animals and was booked into the Columbia County Detention Center.

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