WRENTHAM, Mass. (AP) — A Rhode Island dog trainer who was caring for the beloved pet of former New England Patriots linebacker Jerod Mayo when the animal died has pleaded guilty to related charges.

The Sun Chronicle reports that 42-year-old Amelia Ferreira, of Cranston, was sentenced Tuesday in Massachusetts to 18 months of probation after pleading guilty to obstructing justice.

Ferreira was caring for Knox, Mayo’s 5-year-old English bulldog, at her home in June 2018 when the dog died. Instead of telling Mayo of the death, she hid his remains and reported Knox missing.

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Cranston police found the dog’s remains on Aug. 5 in a trash bag in Ferreira’s closet.

She was not charged with causing the dog’s death, which was undetermined.

She called herself a “coward” for not being honest about the death.

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Information from: The (Attleboro, Mass.) Sun Chronicle, http://www.thesunchronicle.com