POLK COUNTY, Fla. – A Davenport woman already behind bars on traffic charges now faces 10 counts of animal cruelty and neglect. The grim discovery of five malnourished animals and one deceased dog was made after the suspect asked a family member to check on her home while she was in jail.
Caroline Kanyamauri, 33, was originally pulled over and arrested by the Davenport Police Department on June 24, 2026. She was charged with five traffic-related misdemeanors. Knowing she was headed to jail, Kanyamauri asked the arresting officers if she could call her sister to go to her residence and check on her dogs.
When the sister arrived at Kanyamauri’s home the next day, she immediately contacted law enforcement to report the conditions she found.
Polk County deputies arrived at the property and discovered a black wire kennel in the backyard containing the decomposing remains of a dead dog. On a nearby porch covered in feces, they found four live puppies. Investigators also located an adult male dog inside the home with clearly visible ribs and bone structure. All five surviving dogs appeared to be severely malnourished and infested with parasites.
Following the discovery, Polk County Sheriff’s Office Animal Cruelty Investigators tacked on additional charges to Kanyamauri, who remains held at the Polk County Jail. She now faces five counts of misdemeanor animal cruelty, five counts of misdemeanor animal neglect, and one count of unlawful disposal of a dead animal.
The surviving animals were removed from the home and are currently undergoing full medical examinations and treatment at Polk County Animal Control.
Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd praised the sister’s quick actions in a statement released after the rescue.
“We are grateful to this suspect’s family member for contacting law enforcement when she encountered what were clearly severely neglected and malnourished pets, in time for us to rescue these puppies and dog and return them to health. It is our hope that they go to loving homes as soon as they are rehabilitated, and that Ms. Kanyamauri is not allowed to own animals again,” Sheriff Judd said.
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