StormyLyonsColt.jpg

Stormy Lyons is charged with animal cruelty after lawmen found 2 dead horse and an emaciated colt that belonged to her in Vance. (Tuscaloosa County Sheriff's Office)

( )

A Tuscaloosa County woman is behind bars, accused of cruelty to animals after two horses were found dead on her property and a third was found in dire condition.

Stormy Lyons, 35, surrendered to the Tuscaloosa County Jail on Friday morning. Tuscaloosa County Sheriff's Office spokesman Deputy Josh Hastings said the investigation began Dec. 21 when lawmen responded to an animal cruelty complaint on Pleasant Grove Road in Vance.

When they arrived on the scene, they found a dead horse in a makeshift pasture in the back yard of an abandoned residence. A second horse - a 1-year-old colt - was also found in the enclosure. The colt was emaciated and appeared to have been tied to a tree for quite some time, Hastings said.

As deputies continued to investigate, they found a third horse had also recently died and was buried in a shallow grave next to the dead horse. Based on the condition of the enclosure and the condition of the living horse, the colt was seized and is currently being housed at the Tuscaloosa County Sheriff's Office animal stable. Hastings said the colt is doing well.

Lyons is charged with aggravated cruelty to animals, cruelty to animals and failure to bury livestock. She is being held in the Tuscaloosa County Jail with bonds totaling $7,500.