Nearly two weeks ago, police said they were looking for a suspect accused of killing four baby pit bulls, as witnessed by multiple people. Police announced an update in their investigation today: that man is now behind bars.
Baltimore police announced on Nov. 18 that they had an arrest warrant out for Donald Yearwood, 21, in the killing of the puppies nine days earlier. Witnesses told officers that they saw Yearwood stomp on and kick the four young dogs before throwing them down a flight of stairs at a home in South Baltimore’s Brooklyn neighborhood. The reason? They said he was trying to take a nap, but the puppies were making too much noise.
Hours later, a group of children found a box of puppies in a dumpster on Cambria Street several blocks away from the home. Animal control officers pronounced three of them deceased; the fourth was later pronounced dead at an animal hospital.
When authorities announced the arrest warrant, Yearwood was nowhere to be found. However, police revealed today that he walked himself into the Southern District police station last night to turn himself in. He faces 17 animal cruelty and animal abuse-related charges. He’s currently behind bars at Central Booking and Intake.
Officers had visited the same house where the puppies were killed in late October after a child was reported bitten by a dog. That dog was confiscated, along with six of her puppies, all siblings of the ones Yearwood killed. According to WJZ, the half-dozen young dogs have since been adopted by other families.
